


Longevity-Triplet Edition

by zarrati



Series: Triplet Fic [1]
Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Drabbles, F/M, Family Fluff, One-Shots, Some Leslie/Ben Smut, Triplet Fic, knope-wyatt triplets - Freeform, triplet fluff, under 1k
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-18
Updated: 2016-10-24
Packaged: 2018-04-26 20:03:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 37
Words: 24,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5018542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zarrati/pseuds/zarrati
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of Tumblr Drabbles and one-shots featuring the Knope-Wyatt triplets.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Mickey-Shaped Waffles

Leslie and Ben sat near the back of the shuttle bus, no more than ten minutes into their journey from Magic Kingdom to the resort. Sprawled across their laps were three sleeping children, their fatigue a result of a long day in the sun coupled with an intense sugar crash. Their personalized Mickey hats were askew, and Wesley’s candy coated mouth was now smearing drool and chocolate onto his father’s shirt.

“Look at them. They’re exhausted,” Leslie whispered, her eyes soft and full of love as she gazed at her children.

“Yeah,” Ben whispered back, “But it’s a good kind of exhausted. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them so excited before." 

"Me neither, and we get to do it all again tomorrow.”

Running around after three small children in the Florida heat was no small task, but the stress was worth it when they saw the sheer happiness on their faces.

“Is it terrible that I almost cried tears of pride and joy when Sonia started pointing out and naming the Presidents?” Leslie asked.

Ben chuckled. “Of course not. I was rather proud myself. But we knew it was coming. Most kids come to Magic Kingdom and run up to the castle, but no, ours practically drag us to The Hall of Presidents. That and begging for Mickey-shaped waffles. These are your kids, alright.”

Leslie grinned and stuck out her tongue at him. “That may be so, but they’ve got a little of their Dad in them, too. You know once we get to Hollywood Studios, they probably won’t want to do anything other than the Star Wars and Indiana Jones rides and shows. Steven even asked me when we were going to Italy in Epcot so he could get a calzone.”

“That’s my boy.”

Leslie’s laugh quickly turned into a yawn, and she rested her head on Ben’s shoulder. Her nose was only a few inches from the top of Wesley’s head, his hair moving with each puff of air she let out. 

“So what do you think?” Leslie asked. “Are they gonna wake up enough to walk to the room, or are we gonna have to carry them?”

“Not sure. They were too excited to sleep at all last night and they wore themselves out today. We might be able to wake Steven up just long enough to make it back, but Wes and Soso sleep like the dead.”

“True, but at least that means they’ll sleep like rocks tonight.”

Ben shot her a smirk and wiggled his eyebrows. “Did you have anything in mind? I know there’s a nice king sized bed back in our room that we could use.”

“I was thinking more about the giant Jacuzzi tub in the master bathroom.”

Disney really is the happiest place on earth.


	2. Separation Anxiety

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So far, the first date night after having the kids was a success.

”Leslie, would you stop worrying. The kids are fine.”

“You’re probably right, but this is the first time that we’ve left them since they were born. What if Sonia gets colicky and keeps her brothers up, or Wesley won’t stop crying until you get home to sing to him, or-”

“Babe, calm down. We were gonna have to leave them sooner or later. Consider this a practice run for when we both go back to work full-time.”

Leslie stared at him, her eyes narrowed in concentration. Why was he so calm about this? He was usually more nervous than she was when it came to the kids.

Ben saw her looking at him and gulped. “What are you staring at? Do I have something on my face?”

“You are way too calm about this. You almost had a meltdown the first time you had to leave the house to get more diapers, so I don’t know why all of a sudden—Oh my God! You called the house, didn’t you?”

Ben tried to look offended by the insinuation. “Pffft, what? Why would I do that? It’s not like—uhm, I mean I didn’t-“

“Ben, you’re an even worse liar than me.”

“Ok, so I called your mom while you were in the bathroom. She said that everything was fine, and that the triplets were sleeping like angels.”

Leslie nodded in relief, but then smirked. “I knew you’d cave first. Cough it up.”

She held out her hand and Ben begrudgingly slapped a twenty dollar bill into her palm as she cackled. 

So far, date night was a success.


	3. Birthday Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben doesn't get to sleep in--not even on his birthday.

A soft tickle on the side of his face and a sing-songy voice in his ear roused Ben from a deep sleep. 

“Ben, it’s time to wake up, birthday boy.”

When he cracked open an eye, he was met by a curtain of blond hair as his wife leaned over him, sadly, fully clothed. He wasn’t going to complain considering mere hours earlier, at 4:17 A.M to be exact, Leslie had woken him up by pulling him onto her mouth. His first birthday gift to be given at the precise time that he had been born.

“Why did I think that I’d be allowed to sleep in on my birthday?” he groaned, slipping a hand beneath the hem of her blouse. 

She pressed a quick kiss to his nose. "Because you momentarily forgot that you have three toddlers with my sleep schedule who can’t wait to give their daddy his birthday presents.“ 

A goofy smile spread on his face at the mention of his children. This was the first birthday where they were old enough to fully grasp what was happening, and they were probably more excited about today than he was.

"Ah, that must be it. So, where are the-”

Before he could complete his sentence, the door to the bedroom burst open and the aforementioned triplets came running into the room screaming and piling onto the bed, each holding a poorly wrapped gift. Ben was bombarded by hugs and slobbery kisses, a happiness and contentment filling his heart that he once thought he’d never experience. 

As cliche as it sounded, Ben knew it didn’t matter what else happened today, what other presents he unwrapped or outrageous party his wife planned for him. The greatest gifts that life could have ever given him were right there on that bed, and he couldn’t wait to spend another year with them. 


	4. Daddy Issues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben performing fatherly duties is apparently Leslie's biggest turn on.

During her pregnancy, Leslie blamed it on the hormones. When she wasn’t crying her eyes out over commercials about laundry detergent or filled with an inexplicable anger because Paunch Burger didn’t put anchovies on any of their menu items, she was horny.

The wave of desire would hit her at the most random, and sometimes inopportune moments. When Ben would talk to the babies still in her belly, telling them how much he loved them and couldn’t wait to meet them while peppering kisses across her abdomen, she couldn’t get his clothes off fast enough. After Ben put the finishing touches on the nursery, Ron’s triple crib filled with the custom stuffed animals Ben had ordered, the paint on the walls had barely dried before they christened the room. 

It wasn’t until after the babies were born that she realized it wasn’t just the pregnancy hormones—it was the father of her children. To be fair, Ben turning her on was nothing new, but seeing him as a father, the father to  _her_  children, ignited a fire within her that she had never experienced before.

The first few weeks after their birth, Leslie was too exhausted to to even  _think_  about sex, the mandatory period of celibacy aside, but even then, watching Ben hold his sons and daughter for the first time, feeding them in the middle of the night, changing their diapers, made her weak in the knees. 

She would have never guessed that the kisses she reserved for when Ben made mac n’ cheese pizza are now the same ones she gives when he comes home from a diaper run; that Ben humming lullabies to a screaming infant would lead to one of the greatest blowjobs she’d ever given. 

Even now, three years later, after countless tea parties and play times at the park and movie marathons huddled under a blanket, it was still there. That familiar flutter in her chest, the aching in her lower belly only he could make her feel. 

Tonight she watched her husband read the triplets their customary bedtime story. Three pairs of eyes stared at him with rapt attention as he did the voices just right. From the doorway, she caught his eye and he shot her a crooked smile over the head of their son, who had fallen asleep in his lap sometime during the story.

It was then that she felt that burn again, the burn that happened so frequently one would have thought she’d be used to it by now. After the kids were carried to their respective beds and kissed goodnight, Leslie dragged Ben into their room and pushed him onto the bed.

He was no longer her colleague with benefits, her secret lover, her campaign manager/boyfriend, her fiancé, or new husband. He was so much more now. He was the man she had made a family with, and tonight she was going to show him once again how much she loved him for it. 


	5. Snow Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No snow day is complete without a little snow-ball fight.

“Okay, sweetheart, are you ready?”

The blonde five-year-old nodded.

“Are you sure? It might get nasty out there.”

“I’m sure, daddy. They dared me. They said they were better than me and I have to show them that just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean they can beat me. Mommy’s a girl and she’s awesome.”

She had the same fierce look of determination that Ben had seen on Leslie’s face countless times before, and he couldn’t help but smile. “Alright, do you have enough ammo?”

Sonia looked at the pile of snowballs at her feet. “I think so. We’re gonna get them so good,” she giggled.

Ben peered over the makeshift wall of snow shielding them, a snowball barely missing his face. 

“Come on, Wyatt, you gonna stay back there forever?” Leslie called out.

“Yeah! Are you guys chicken?”

“Be quiet, Stevie,” Sonia answered her brother. “We aren’t chicken. We’re gonna kick your butts. And stop making those chicken noises, Wes.”

Ben picked up a few surrounding snowballs. “Okay. On three we attack. One, two, three!”

The pair ran out from behind their wall, screaming at the top of their lungs and hurling snowballs. They were met by equal opposition, Leslie, Wes, and Stevie throwing their own snowballs with aim and intensity. To keep things fair, Leslie and Ben focused on pelting each other, with the occasional snowball gently lofted at one of the boys.

The battle raged on for several minutes, but Sonia and Ben were quickly running low on ammo.

“Sonia,” Ben yelled out. “Initiate Operation Endor.” But before she had a chance to respond, Sonia fell to the ground and cried out in pain.

Ben ran over to her first, hovering over her.

“Oh, my God. Baby, are you alright?” Leslie panicked as she and the boys came running over.

Just as they got close, Sonia looked up and Ben and winked. “Eat snow!” she screamed as Ben threw himself out of the way and she gave her mother and brothers a face full of the cold, wet ice. “YAY, we win! We beat you.”

She jumped into her father’s arms and he spun her around as they celebrated their victory.

“Mommy, that’s not fair. They cheated,” Wes pouted.

Leslie ruffled his hair through his knit hat. “Now, they won fair and square. I’ll admit that was sneaky, but it was also pretty smart. I think we’ve learned to never underestimate your sister, right guys?”

“Right,” the boys mumbled and walked over to Sonia.

“You wanna go build a snowman?” Stevie asked, and soon the snowball fight was forgotten as the siblings started discussing the possibility that they could make their own Frosty the Snowman.

Leslie nudged Ben in the shoulder. “Operation Endor?”

“Yeah, it was her idea. You know in  _Return of the Jedi_  how Han and Leia are trying to destroy the shield generator and she hides behind him and shoots the Stormtroopers on the Forest Moon of Endor? Her own variation of it.”

“You must be so proud,” Leslie chuckled.

“You have no idea. Hey, babe?” he said in his most seductive voice.

“Hmm?”

“I have something for you.” He playfully pulled down the zipper on her jacket.

“Oh, is it a kiss?”

Ben shook his head. “Even better.” He leaned in, running one of his hands along her neck. Before she can react, Ben’s other hand came into view, a snowball clenched in his fist and shoved it down Leslie’s shirt before running away, grinning like a maniac. 

“You’re a dead man, Wyatt,” Leslie screamed before tackling him into the snow. It’s not long before three small, giggling bodies joined in.


	6. The Turning of the Tassle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leslie watched with tears in her eyes as her three children walked across the stage in their caps and gowns. Her three co-valedictorians, the first in Pawnee High School’s history.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on the prompt things you said when we were the happiest we ever were.

Leslie watched with tears in her eyes as her three children walked across the stage in their caps and gowns. Her three co-valedictorians, the first in Pawnee High School’s history.

She heard Ben and Andy whoop and whistle as their names were called, Sonia, Stephen, and Wesley Knope-Wyatt proudly waving as they accepted their diplomas. 

Looking around, she was once again struck by just how loved her children were. Being the Governor had its perks, and Leslie was able to secure enough tickets for everyone to be there.

Ann, Chris, and Oliver, who had graduated the year before, were seated to her left, followed by Ron, Diane, Ivy, Zoe, and John, another Pawnee High alumnus. Next to Ben were Andy and April, their two young children at home with a sitter. Even Tom, Lucy, Donna, and Joe managed to fly in from their respective parts of the country for the occasion. 

As Mayor, Gary was expected to be there anyway, but he clapped extra loud for the Knope-Wyatt Triplets. 

Leslie was grateful she had the foresight to wear waterproof mascara, because there was a constant stream of tears coming from her eyes the second her children walked onto the stage, followed by full blown sobs as they each read their Valedictorian Speeches. 

Each speech was as unique as they were, fully capturing their own personalities. But one thing was constant throughout—they credited and thanked their parents for loving them, supporting them, and helping them become the people they were today.

As Sonia, Stephen, and Wesley stood front and center, leading their classmates in the turning of the tassels, Leslie reached out and grasped Ben’s hand.

“Do you think they’re ready?”

He looked at her with a soft smile, the same smile that he’s been giving her for over twenty years.

“They’re our children. Of course they’re ready.”

And as usual, he was right.


	7. Camping Trip 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things you said under the stars and in the grass

“I can’t believe you let the kids talk you into camping.”

“We have a pop-up tent set up in our backyard. This hardly counts as camping,” Ben whispers back, careful not to wake the three sleeping children sprawled out with them on the large blanket.

“Considering you almost never go outside, I’d say this is as close as we’re gonna get.”

“Lucky for us, Ron has already volunteered to take them camping at the National Park next time we’re in Pawnee.”

Leslie sighs and snuggles further into Ben’s side. “If he’s anything like he was with his Pawnee Rangers, that might be the last time they want to go camping.”

“I don’t know, this was kind of fun. We made s’mores over the fire pit, sang camping songs, and did some stargazing, all without having to use a tree as a bathroom. I think they enjoyed themselves, well, as much as eight-year-old’s can.” 

“I think so, too. By the way, how on earth do you know so much about astronomy? I was thoroughly impressed.”

Ben blushes, grateful that it’s too dark for his wife to see him. “I wish it was something cool like I used to go out with my telescope and stargaze with my Physics and Astronomy class, but I really just learned all about them for a role-play game I was a part of in college. My character was a wizard with an extensive knowledge of the stars which he used to cast powerful spells.”

He can tell Leslie is trying not to laugh. “No, babe, that’s cool too.”

“Yeah, yeah, go ahead and laugh, but it’s because of my role-play expertise that you’re married to a man that has not one, but two, best selling strategy games on the market.”

“I count my blessings everyday.”

He turns over to rub his nose on the side of her face, nipping at her jaw until she giggles and turns away. “I am actually glad we did this,” he says looking down at his daughter, sleeping and curled into his side. “They’re growing up so fast. I don’t think we have too many opportunities like this left with them.”

Leslie sighs and runs a hand through Stephen’s unruly hair. “You’re right. The other day, Stephen said he was too old for his mom to kiss him in public.”

“Ouch, the first knife in the heart.”

“You’re telling me. I almost embarrassed him even more by bursting into tears. I think Wesley felt bad, because he still let me give him one, but didn’t seem too thrilled about it.”

Ben is about to respond when Sonia turns and wakes up, drowsy and disoriented.

“Hey, sweetheart. It’s okay, go back to sleep.”

She hums and goes back to using her father’s arm as a pillow. “Daddy?”

“Hmm?”

“Thanks for showing us the stars.”


	8. Optical Illusions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No one makes fun of Wesley Knope-Wyatt and gets away with it.

Leslie and Ben were sitting on the couch when the front door flew open, but only one set of footsteps came in as opposed to the usual three.

They saw Wesley run past them as he quickly tried to go upstairs.

“Hey, bud, where’s the fire?” Ben called out to him and he froze at the bottom step.

“Yeah,” Leslie agreed. “Come here and say hi and tell us about your day at school.”

Wesley kept his back to them on the stair as he took a deep breath and readjusted the strap of his backpack. Turning slowly, he walked into the living room and gave his parents a tight smile.

“Where’re your brother and sister?” Leslie asked.

“Oh, uhm, they’re coming.” He shuffled his feet and shifted his bag once again.

“Why don’t you sit down and stay a while.” Ben motioned to the love seat.

“Uhm, I don’t know, I really have a lot of homework I should probably get started.” 

Ben clutched a hand to his chest and feigned a hurt expression. “See this, babe. We knew the day would come when our son would rather suffer through homework than sit and talk with us.”

Leslie smirked but kept her eyes trained on Wesley. “Something’s up. What is it?”

“Nothing is wrong, Mom,” Wes sighed. 

“Nope, not gonna work. I’m your mother and I know when something is wrong. Sit down and let’s talk about it, okay?”

Wesley heaved another loud sigh as he threw his bag on the floor and slumped on the couch.

“So, what’s up?” Ben prodded.

“Uhm, okay, well I  _did_  want to talk to you about something.”

Leslie’s face lit up. “Yes, of course. Anything.”

Wesley took his glasses off and fiddled with them. “So, I was kinda hoping that maybe we can see the eye doctor about me getting contacts.”

“Wes, we’ve talked about this. You’re only nine, and the doctor doesn’t think you’d be a good candidate for contacts for another few years.”

“Yeah, I know, but maybe we can try again, or see a different doctor?” he pleaded.

“Sweetheart, why the sudden interest in contacts?”

“I just hate these things.” He tossed said glasses onto the seat next to him in disgust. 

“Hey,” Ben protested. “Don’t throw them around like that. You need to be a little more responsible with those. You’ve gone through so many pairs recently. Contacts are a big responsibility, and if you keep breaking your glasses like that-”

“I’m not breaking them!” he shouted, immediately shrinking back in terror at his outburst.

“Okay,” Leslie said calmly, “then explain to us why you’ve gone through three pairs in as many months.”

Wesley swallowed and looked back and forth between his parents. “I just…Ugh, it’s stupid Jared Callahan. He’s been…picking on me about them and…”

“Did he break them?” Ben asked.

Wesley only shrugged.

“Oh, no,” Leslie said as she stood up. “That is completely unacceptable. I’m going to call the school and his parents and-”

“No, Mom, please don’t,” Wesley begged. “He’ll just make life terrible for me. He’s super popular and his dad is some important diplomat or something like that. I just don’t want any more problems.”

Leslie was fuming. “That is ridiculous. He shouldn’t be able to get away with that. There is nothing wrong with you or your glasses, do you hear me? I know it sounds cheesy coming from your mother, but it’s true. This Jared guy is nothing more than a bully who is targeting you for no good reason. I am so furious, I-”

She was cut off by the front door slamming again, her two remaining children walking through the door. They, like their brother before, tried to sneak upstairs but were unsuccessful. 

“Stop right there, you two,” Leslie said to them. “And where were you?”

“Oh, uhm we were just, you know, walking and doing…stuff,” Stephen stuttered. 

“Yeah, we were just, you know talking with some…friends.” She shot Wesley a quick look and frowned.

“It’s okay, guys. They know.”

Ben looked back and forth between the three of them. “You two knew about your brother being picked on and didn’t say anything?”

The pair opened their mouths to defend themselves but Wesley cut in. “They wanted to, but I asked them not to. And they were late because they were sticking up for me.”

Leslie instantly teared up. “Oh, my babies defending each other.” She moved in to crush Sonia and Stephen in a hug. “Wait,” she said pulling back and looking at Stephen, “You didn’t hit him, did you?”

“What?! No. Why does everyone think I always want to hit people.”

“To be fair though, he was about to until I stopped him,” Sonia cut in.

“Stephen…” came his father’s warning voice.

“I know, I know. Violence is never the answer, but he was being a total jerkface! And I’m not gonna let anyone talk to my brother like that.”

“Anyway,” Sonia said, giving her brother a glare, “we just…talked to him. But either way, I don’t think he’s gonna be bothering Wes anymore.”

“Yeah, we only  _threatened_  him with violence. I didn’t actually do anything.”

Sonia gave her brother an exasperated look. “Ugh, Stephen…you weren’t supposed to-”

“Okay, okay,” Ben interrupted before an argument broke out. “You two,” he pointed to Stephen and Sonia, “tell us right now what happened and if we should expect a very angry phone call from the Callahans.”

Sonia threw her hands up and shrugged innocently. “All we did was try to reason with him. We informed him that we had close connections with people who would not like to hear that he was picking on Wes.”

“Yeah,” Stephen jumped in, “we told him that our uncle is in the FBI and had a black belt in karate, and that our aunt is a witch and would make a Jared voodoo doll and make him do things. Then Sonia said that if all else fails, she’d just punch him in the face and tell everyone on her Gryzzl page that he got beat up by a girl and that would make him sad because he and his friends are misogynistic jerks and-”

“God, Stevie!” Sonia yelled. “Why do I ever think that you can keep any kind of secret?”

Wesley just looked at his siblings with a crooked smile

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Leslie yelled. “Okay, not the best way to handle this kind of situation. Even threats of violence are bad, okay guys?”

A series of guilty “yeahs” echoed throughout the room.

“Good. Now, I know it’s tough and you might not want to, but please come to us with these things. We want you to feel comfortable talking to us. I still think we should talk to your teachers or his parents, but if his bullying stops, we’ll leave it alone.”

Wesley let out a sigh of relief.

“But, if this happens again, please, let us know. We don’t want to cause you more trouble, we just want to help you. And there is nothing wrong with glasses. They don’t make you look stupid or nerdy or anything like that.”

Wesley still didn’t look convinced.

“Do you think your Aunt April is any of the things Jared called you?”

“What? No way! Aunt April is the coolest.”

Leslie gave him a knowing look. “But she wears glasses now, doesn’t she? That didn’t make her any less cool than before. Because glasses or any other physical characteristic don’t define a person.”

And,” Ben cut in, “if it will be more convenient or help your self-esteem, we’ll look into contacts in a few years. But only because it’s something YOU want and not because other people are pressuring you into them, okay?”

“Really?” he smiled widely. “Thanks! You guys are the best.” 

He moved in to hug his father and mother.

“Okay, you three,” Leslie said with teary eyes, “go upstairs and do your homework before I start crying because of how much you love each other.”

Ben chuckled as the triplets ran from the room, more than eager to avoid one of their mother’s emotional outbursts. 

“I think that went pretty well, don’t you?” Ben asked as he slung his arm around Leslie’s shoulder.

“I think so, too. But I can’t believe our children almost punched that kid.”

“You can’t?” Ben smirked. “I seem to recall myself punching someone defending your honor.”

“Hey, I never asked you to do that.”

“True, but you did reward me with amazing sex afterwards.”

She smiled at the memory. “Hmm, yeah. Maybe we shouldn’t tell the kids that story.”

“Yeah, for several reasons.”

Leslie sighed and rested her head against Ben’s shoulder. “I’m so proud of them.”

“Me too, Leslie. Me too.”


	9. Sympathetic Crying

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's never just one crying triplet.

“Mommy!” 

Leslie looks up from her spot on the couch as a crying Sonia runs in from the backyard.

“Sweetheart, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” she asks as she gets up and goes to her daughter.

“We were playing on the monkey bars and W-Wessie, he fell and-and-” Her sobs take over again and she can’t finish her sentence.

Leslie goes outside in a mild panic, a still sobbing Sonia trailing behind her as they make their way towards and crying Wesley. She is relieved that he is at least conscious, and it doesn’t look like his fall was nearly as dangerous as she originally thought. 

Her son is clutching his skinned knee, little droplets of blood sliding down his leg.

“Hey, baby, it’s okay. Mommy’s here,” she soothes as she pushes his floppy hair away from his face. She notices that his glasses are missing, lost sometime during his fall. “Now, this is very important. I can see that your knee got hurt, but does anything else hurt? Did you hit your head?”

He can’t stop crying enough to speak, so he just shakes his head.

“Is he gonna be okay, Mommy?”asks a still emotional Sonia.

“He should be just fine. Let’s get you inside and cleaned up.”

She grunts as she picks up her ever-growing son, feeling a tug on her own heart as he buries his face in her shoulder and continues to cry.

She silently hopes that Ben comes back with Stephen soon, just so she can have reinforcements while dealing with one injured and two crying five-year-olds. 

“Hey, So-So, you think you can be my helper and go grab Wesley’s glasses for me? Then, we can go inside and you can help me patch up your brother.”

Her plan to calm Sonia down by distracting her appears to be working as the little girls cries simmer down. 

“Will it be like when we play doctor?” she sniffles.

“Yup. With your help, we can make him all better.”

Sonia nods eagerly and runs through the grass to collect Wesley’s glasses.

Leslie continues to whisper soothing things into Wesley’s ear as she carries him to the bathroom, sitting him on the closed toilet seat while she collects her supplies. 

Wesley’s crying has settled down a bit, and he wipes at his eyes and nose.

“Here you go, Wessie,” Sonia says as she hands him his glasses. “It’s okay. Mommy is gonna make you all better.”

Leslie pulls out the bottle of antiseptic and grimaces. “Okay, honey, we need to clean that up and get all of the dirt out of it.”

Her son’s cries come back full force as he feels the sting of the antiseptic, and she tries to hold his leg steady as she fights his instinct to pull away.

Wordlessly, Sonia walks over and grabs her brother’s hand.  

“Wow,” Sonia says as she looks at the wound. “Wessie, your boo-boo is making bubbles!”  
  
“Yeah, that’s the medicine fighting all of the germs.”

As the pain lessens, Wesley looks over at his knee with interest.

“The stinging stuff is fighting the germs?” he asks quietly.

“Mmhmm. That’s why it hurts a little, sweetheart. There’s some serious fighting going on there.”

He gives a weak smile as a leftover tear makes its way down his cheek.

“Doctor Sonia?”

“Yes, Doctor Mommy?”

“Can you please hand me the box of band-aids. We are almost done with the patient.”

Sonia lets go of her brother’s hand and runs over to the counter. “Here you go.”

She takes the box and smiles at her son. “It’s time for our very brave patient to choose which bandage he wants.” 

“The Batman one.”

“Excellent choice.”

“Now, Doctor Sonia, what is the very last step we have to do?” Leslie asks after she places the bandage over the wound.

“Uhmm…Oh, we have to kiss it!”

“That’s right.”

She smiles as Sonia puckers her lips and places a gentle kiss over the bandage and follows suit. She then moves to pepper Wesley’s face in tiny kisses, relishing in his laughs.

“Do you feel better now, Wes?”

He nods his head. “Yeah, Mommy. Thank you.”

“Wait!” Sonia cries. “We forgot something.” She runs out of the room and soon comes back with a sticker shaped like a rainbow. “Doctors always give out stickers after healing boo-boos.”

She thrusts the sticker at Wesley who greedily accepts it and wears it proudly on his shirt.

“Hey, guys. We’re home,” Ben’s voice calls from downstairs.

“Up here, babe.”

Soon the sound of Stephen running up the stairs echoes throughout the house, and Leslie briefly wonders how one little boy can sound like he’s being followed by a herd of elephants. 

He runs into the bathroom and his eyes go wide at the sight of his brother.

“Stephen, what have we said about running up the-hey, bud, what happened?” Ben asks from behind Stephen before walking into the room and kneeling in front of his injured son.

“I fell off the monkey bars.”

“Oh, no. You okay?”

He shakes his full head of floppy hair. “Yup. Mommy made me all better.”

“And I helped,” Sonia interjects proudly.

“And So-So helped.” He leans forward and whispers to his father, “Did you know that the stinging stuff actually  _fights_  the germs? They fight and it makes bubbles.”

“What? No way!” Ben says feigning disbelief.

Wes nods eagerly. “It’s true!”

“Then you must be very brave. You had a full blown battle happening on your knee.”

Leslie smiles and ruffles Wesley’s hair. “He was  _very_  brave, and Sonia was an excellent helper.”

Stephen pushes his way past his parents and looks at his brother’s knee. “I like your band-aid and your sticker.”

“Thanks.”

“Can I see your boo-boo?”

Wesley moves to take off his bandage and flaunt his scar, but Leslie stops him.

“Not so fast, buddy. You need to let that heal first. You can show your brother later when we change your bandage, okay?”

Wes shrugs his shoulders and gets off of the toilet seat. “You wanna go back outside and play?”

And just like that, the three were off again.

“So, you had an interesting day it appears,” Ben says as he wraps his arm around his wife’s shoulder.

“It was, it was. Sonia came running in sobbing so hard and she scared me to death. Thankfully, it wasn’t anything serious. You know, our little girl makes quite the pretend doctor. I wouldn’t be surprised if she ends up going to medical school and becomes Surgeon General some day.”  
  
“Yeah, but let’s let her finish Kindergarten first.”

Leslie cuddles into Ben’s side and sighs.

“What’s wrong?”

She shrugs. “It’s just, they’re growing up so fast. It breaks my heart to see my babies hurt, and I know it’s just going to get worse. There will be some wounds that a Batman band-aid can’t fix.”

Ben gives her a gentle kiss on the forehead. “But that’s what parenting is all about. Loving them and being there for them through the stuff that hurts them.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m just gonna have to enjoy kissing boo-boos while I still can.”


	10. In Loving Memory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leslie takes the triplets to her father's grave for the first time.

It had been a ritual for her for as long as she could remember. There were always various others scattered about, paying homage to their own deceased loves ones, but for once, she ignored everyone around her. She was there to talk to her father.

The slab of granite bearing her father’s name had become a confidant rivaled only by her husband and best friend. She told it about her senior prom, her fears and excitement about going off to college, and her new job at the Parks Department. She gushed about her secret boyfriend with a cute face and nice butt, and sobbed when they had to break up, wishing she could crawl into her father’s lap just one more time.

With clutched hands, her new engagement ring sparkling in the morning light, Leslie formally introduced herfiancé, and months later, recalled every moment of their wedding.

With a rounded belly, she told him that he was going to be a grandfather, and now, five years later, he was meeting them for the first time.

* * *

It had started with an innocent question from Sonia, wondering why Leslie would sometimes go to the cemetery during their visits back to Pawnee. It was a difficult conversation, trying to explain the concept of death to children that had absolutely no frame of reference.

She had expected these questions to come eventually. The three would only be content with abstract references to their grandfather for so long, but she was wholly unprepared for their next request.

“Can we go with you next time to visit grandpa?”

She exchanged an uneasy glance with Ben. “I don’t know, you guys…”

“Please,” Steven pleaded. “I want to go talk to him, too.”

“Me too,” Wesley chimed in.

“But you know he’s not really there, right? I go and talk to him because it makes me feel better, but he isn’t there to hear me or talk back.”

“I know that,” Sonia answered. “Sometimes I play with my toys and talk to them even though they can’t talk back to me.”

“What do you think?” she murmured to Ben.

“I think this is your call, babe,” he whispered back. “If you’re not comfortable with them going with you yet, we’ll wait until they’re a little older. But you will have to share him with them eventually. They know how important he is to you and want to be a part of that.”

“Yeah,” she sighed, before giving Ben’s hand a tight squeeze and turning back to the triplets. “Okay you three, if you are sure you want to do this, we can go.”

The three shrieks of excitement tugged a small smile from her lips.

* * *

The family of five walked through the green grass still wet with morning dew until they came to Robert Knope’s headstone. They stood around it silently, unsure of what to do first. 

Ben gave Leslie an encouraging smile and she stepped forward, placing a single flower on the grave.

“Hi, Dad. I know it’s been a while, but I brought some people that wanted to see you.”

She looked over her shoulder at her children, who slowly came towards her, laying their own flowers beneath the headstone.

“Hi, Grandpa, I’m Sonia,” the tiny blonde introduced herself. “And this is Wesley and Steven.”

The three took turns speaking, telling stories about their hobbies, friends, and school.

Tears threatened Leslie’s eyes as she watched her children, wishing more than anything that they could have had the opportunity to really speak him, to get to know him.

“Alright little monsters,” Ben eventually cut in, interrupting Steven’s long winded story about action figures. “I know you want to keep talking to your grandpa, but we have to get going soon. Let’s give Mommy some time to talk too, okay?”

“Okay,” Steven sighed. “We have to go now, Grandpa, but next time I’ll bring my Batman toy to show you.”

After saying their goodbyes, Sonia tugged on her mother’s sleeve.

“Mommy, if Grandpa was still alive, he’d love us, right?”

Leslie knelt down and tucked a stray hair behind her daughter’s ear. “Oh, honey, he’d love you all so much. More than anything.”

“Okay, good, because we love him too.”

With a hug, she was gone, trailing after her father and brothers on the way to the car.

“Well, that’s them,” she said as she turned back to the headstone. “The stories I’ve told you don’t do them justice. They can be a handful, but they really are the greatest. You would have loved them.

“And Ben–Ben’s such an amazing father. I know it seems like I spend half of my time here gushing about him, but it’s always the truth. You’d like him. Maybe not as much as Mom,” she smirked, “but you would. He’d sit with you and watch golf even though he hates it just to humor you. Then he’d talk your ear off about his board game, and you wouldn’t have any idea what he was saying but you’d just smile and laugh because he makes me happy and that’s what matters the most to you.”

With a sigh, Leslie looked down at her watch. “We have a plane to catch in a little while back home to D.C. It feels weird calling another city home, but it is, in its own way. It’ll never be home like here, but we’re happy there. Everything just fell into place and my dreams are coming true, like you always promised me they would.”

She ran a hand over the cold stone one more time and turned away, her whispered goodbye getting taken by the wind, and somewhere, deep down, Leslie knew that he heard it.  


	11. Man of the Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Ben's Man of the Year debacle in "2017", Leslie and the triplets decide to make it up to him.

She’s so furious that night that she doesn’t notice the slump in his shoulders or the small frown on his face as he rips off his tie.

She keeps muttering under her breath, cursing Ron to the ends of the earth and back, but Ben says nothing. The kids are staying over night at her mom’s, so while there is peace and quiet in the house for the first time in weeks, Ben only says a brief goodnight and goes to bed as Leslie washes out the bits of cake and frosting from her hair. 

It’s not until 3 AM, when the fog of anger lifts from her subconscious mind and she wakes with a start, that she realizes what she had done.

This was Ben’s night. A night that he had been working towards for his entire career. He was finally being honored for all of his hard work, and she and Ron– _mostly Ron–_  had ruined.

She turns over to look at her sleeping husband and feels the familiar sharp pang of regret and shame. She presses a kiss to whatever part of him is closest, and he shifts towards her in his sleep.

She is going to make this up to him somehow.

* * *

When Leslie called him to say that she was leaving work early and not to worry about picking up the kids, he should have suspected something. That she would willingly leave work amidst something as huge as the Newport land bid was itself a red flag, but he was still reeling from the emotions brought on by Tom’s real speech so he let it go.

So after a long day of dealing with Leslie’s feud with Ron, the land bid, and plenty of resentment over his ceremony being ruined, he walks through his front door.

The yell of “surprise” that he’s met with nearly makes him scream, but all he does is drop is briefcase on the floor and jump back.

After his heart restarts, he sees his wife and three children smiling broadly as they hold up a small cake. There is a banner hanging in the living room that says ‘Man of the Year’ surrounded by small, crayon drawings, his children’s newest masterpiece.

Leslie carefully places the cake down as he is bombarded by three tiny missiles that launch in his direction. He kneels down and welcomes their hugs and kisses, his wife looking on with a warm smile.

“What’s all this, guys?” he asks incredulously.

“Surprise!” Stephen screams again.

“Yes, I can see that. You all definitely surprised Daddy.”

“We got cake,” Sonia says while jumping up and down in excitement before running over to it.

“Hey,Soso,” Leslie says sternly, “what did I say about the cake?”

The little girl’s face falls and she sighs. “Gotta wait.”

“That’s right. We have cake  _after_  we give Daddy his surprise and eat dinner okay? Why don’t you three go get what you made for him.”

The two boys wrestle away from their father and run after Sonia towards what he assumes to be his surprise.

He stands back up and gives her a confused look. “What’s this about?”

She bites her lips and slowly walks towards him, contrite. “I know things have been crazy, and last night was…well, you know.” She wraps her arms around his neck. “But no matter how upset I was with Ron and everything that was going on with the Newport land, I shouldn’t have let it interfere with your night. You worked so hard and deserved that honor more than anyone, and I ruined it for you. So, I wanted to say that I’m sorry and try to make it up to you even a little bit. I know it’s not the same, but in this house, you’re always Man of the Year.”

Ben smiles and rests his forehead against Leslie’s. “Thank you. This is amazing. I can’t believe you left work to do this for me.”

She just shrugs her shoulders. “Honestly, there’s not much more I can do at this point. My offer is in, and I just have to wait and see if they’ll take me seriously. My staff has my number if they need me. You’re more important.”

He gives her another kiss before he hears three pairs of tiny feet stampeding back towards them.

“Daddy! Daddy!” 

He looks down and smiles at what looks like some sort of trophy crudely made out of an old tissue box and paper towel tube, and a construction paper card. 

“Thanks, you guys,” he says indulgently and reaches for the items.

The front of the card looks like Leslie traced the words “Man of the Year 2017″ and the kids filled it in with crayon. 

“Open it,” Wesley insists with a tug on Ben’s pant leg, so he hoists his son on his hip and flips open the card.

“Oh, wow, is that a drawing of me?”

Wesley nods and smiles proudly. “I drawed it.”

“That’s amazing. And look I’m wearing something on my head. Is that a….spider?”

Leslie peaks over his shoulder. “Oh, I told him to draw a crown on your head, but Wes wanted an octopus instead.”

“Oh, okay,” Ben laughs and accepts the sloppy kiss from his son before he wriggles out of his arms. “Thanks, buddy.”

“I did the cake,” Sonia says proudly.

“Yup, she helped me make the cake, and Stephen painted your trophy.”

Ben kneels down and pulls the three of them in for another fierce hug. “Thank you. This is the greatest award I’ve ever gotten.”

“Okay, little monsters, it’s almost dinner time. Give Daddy one more kiss and  wash your hands.”

Ben’s face gets peppered with adorable, toddler kisses before they run off to the bathroom.

“Now it’s Mommy’s turn to give Daddy some love,” Leslie teases with a grin, and gives him a sweet, lingering kiss. “I know this doesn’t make up for last night, but-”

“No, babe, this is amazing. I mean, yeah, I wish last night had gone better, but that you went out of your way to do this for me is just the greatest.”

“So, you forgive me? Because, I‘m just warning you that things like this will most likely happen again if I keep having to interact with Ron. Fury overrules rational thought each and every time.”

Ben chuckles and shakes his head. “Yes, I forgive you, and I consider myself warned. But don’t worry so much, this will all work out. I promise.”

She smiles and squeezes his hand. “You’re the best husband ever. Now, go get comfortable so we can start dinner and then have some cake.” Her voice drops to a low whisper. “Then after the kids go to bed, there’s a certain ‘orchestra conductor’ fantasy that we missed out on last night.” She winks and walks back to the kitchen with an extra sway in her hips.

He grins and makes his way upstairs to change. Last night might have been a disaster, but right now, he definitely feels like Man of the Year.


	12. Woman of the Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and the family give Leslie an overdue 'Woman of the Year' honor of their own after her latest IOW loss in Pie Mary.

“Okay, you two. You have everything ready for when Mommy comes home?”

Sonia and Stephen’s eager heads nod, their hands clutching their surprises with the utmost care.

“Good. You know what you’re supposed to do when she comes in?”

“Surprise!” Stephen screams and starts jumping up and down.

“That’s right, bud. You love yelling ‘surprise’ don’t you?”

He just nods and continues to jump.

Ben looks over and calls out to Wesley who is standing watch at the front window.

“How you doing over there, Wes?”

“I see’d a squirrel.”

“Uhm, okay, but you’re supposed to be watching for Mommy’s car.”

“No car.”

Ben sighs to himself and checks over the large banner hanging in the living room for the thousandth time. Tonight had to be perfect. After everything, she deserved this–deserved it more than anyone.

After the initial excitement of winning the award wore off, crushing guilt took its place. He tried to refuse the award, but Leslie wouldn’t let him. He accepted it graciously, but did his best to make sure everyone knew that his wife deserved it more than he did.

Apparently it didn’t work much better this time than when Ron tried to do the same thing years ago.

So tonight is about honoring Leslie in every way she deserves.

Ben is pulled back to reality when he hears Wesley running across the house. “Car! Car! Mommy’s car!”

“She’s home?”

Wesley nods wildly, a little out of breath.

“Surprise!”

“Not yet, Stephen. When she comes  _inside_.”

“Oh.”

Ben gathers the triplets in front of him in the foyer, and they wait as they hear Leslie unlocking the front door.

“Surprise!” the four of them yell when Leslie walks in, momentarily surprised until her look fades to one of confused happiness.

“What’s all this?” she asks with a smile after kneeling down to give her children a hug.

Ben steps forward and gives Leslie a soft kiss before taking her hand and leading her into the living room.

“Woman of the Year,” Leslie reads out loud, slowly. “I’m confused.”

“Well, I’ve been thinking about how you’ve been snubbed for that award–not once but twice, and instead it was given to people who were given credit for work  _you’ve_  done. We both know I didn’t deserve that award. You were the one with the great, empowering message, and the fact that I got this award because I’m a  _man_  and “allowed” you to use my platform is ridiculous. I know it’s not the same, but the four of us wanted to give you your own awards ceremony.” He looks back to the triplets. “Okay, guys, give Mommy her surprises.”

Leslie’s eyes glisten with tears as each of her children come up to her. Sonia hands Leslie a construction paper chain necklace, Wesley a paper crown, and Stephen a long sash that says woman of the year.

“I know it’s a little Beauty Pageant-esque, but each one chose what to make for you themselves,” Ben grins.

Leslie wipes away at the stray tears and plants big kisses on each of their three, cherubic cheeks. “I love them, thank you.”

“And this one is from me.” Ben hands her a plaque that looks almost identical to the one given to him merely weeks ago. 

“The Sonia, Stephen, and Wesley Knope-Wyatt Woman of the Year Award,” Leslie reads and stars crying all over again. “Oh, my God, this is amazing, and really good quality.”

“I went to your plaque guy.”

“He does good work.”

“Speech, speech!” Sonia chants while clapping her hands. 

“Oh yeah.” Ben goes into the dining room and drags out a podium. “No awards ceremony is complete without an acceptance speech. Now’s your chance to bust out your IOW speech.”

“Is that my practice podium?”

“Yeah, I pulled it out of storage.”

Ben sits on the couch in front of the podium, pulling the triplets up with him as they await Leslie’s speech with wide smiles.

She pulls out the speech that she still carries in her back pocket and lays it flat on the podium. But as she stares at it, she knows it just isn’t right. The IOW had their chance–several times, in fact. 

No, this award is so much more important.

“You know what, I don’t want to read this.”

Ben furrows his brow. “Really?”

“Yeah, I just kind of want to speak from the heart, if that’s okay.”

“Of course. It’s your day.”

She takes a deep breath. “First of all, I want to thank you so much for honoring me with this award. Words can’t even begin to express how much this means to me, how much it means knowing that I have not only your love, but also your support. For a long time, I thought the greatest honor would come from being publicly recognized for all that I’ve done in trying to champion women’s rights. I thought that getting an award from the IOW would somehow validate me and my work, but I was wrong.

“And maybe I’ll never win the Woman of the Year award from them, especially not if they value the marketing or political aspects of it more than anything else. And you know what? That’s okay because I don’t need them to validate me anymore. Everything I’ve done has been because it’s the right thing to do.

“I love the four of you more than anything in this entire world, and just knowing that you believe in me is enough. Knowing that I’m helping build a world that won’t tell my daughter what her limitations are because she’s a woman, that she’ll grow up knowing she can do anything and be anything she wants to be without being held back, is enough. Teaching my sons to respect a woman’s voice, her body, her choices, is all I can hope for.

“And being there for my husband, not because it’s what’s expected of me as a good wife, but because I truly believe in him and want him to succeed in everything he does. 

“The IOW have made their choices, and I’ve made mine, and I don’t regret any of them that have led me to this point in my life. Some women have chosen to focus on their careers, other’s choose to focus on their families, and some do both, all of them wonderful. 

“But I don’t need the IOW to tell me I’ve done a good job. As long as I have all of your love and support, I’ll know without a shadow of a doubt that I’ve made the right decisions. Thank you, and I love you all so, so much.”

Ben claps and hoots wildly, a large proud smile on his face. The kids mimic his clapping even though they probably have no idea what just happened, but it doesn’t matter. One day they’ll understand.

Leslie comes and sits down next to Ben and the kids on the couch, Ben wrapping his arm around her and pulling her close while Wesley scrambles onto her lap.

“That was amazing,” Ben says quietly, leaning in for another kiss. 

“I meant every word. And thank you for doing this for me.” She tickles each of her babies’ bellies. “And thank  _you_  three for making me these wonderful gifts.”

“There’s more,” Wesley exclaims from her lap.

“Yeah? What?”

“Daddy made pie,” Sonia tells her.

“He did?”

Stephen is already off the couch and running towards the kitchen. “Extra whipped cream.”

Ben sighs and chases after his son. “He’s been trying to get his hands on that pie since I made it. And it’s  _not_  a dessert calzone either.”

Leslie stands up and grabs Wesley and Sonia’s hands, following Ben and Stephen into the kitchen. 

Sonia tugs on her hand. “Mommy?”

“Yes, sweetheart.”

“I love you.”

No, as much as she had wanted it, Leslie doesn’t need that award. Everything she could ever need is right here.


	13. Birdsong

Out of the three of them, Stephen was almost always the most rambunctious. He screamed the loudest as he chased his siblings around the house, wrecked the most walls with markers, ran around with loaded paintbrushes, but he also had a gentler side. 

He loved nature, something that his Uncle Ron saw early in him. But unlike Ron, Stephen viewed the natural world as something to befriend, not conquer.

It started small, naming various rocks and leaves he found in his backyard, telling some of his deepest secrets to the worms he dug up with his plastic shovel.

So when a bird decided to build her nest on a low hanging branch near his window, five-year-old Stephen was overjoyed. He watched as the bird (his daddy told him it was called a robin) layed her eggs and protected them day in and day out. He took dozens of pictures after he woke up one morning and saw that those eggs had hatched. 

He had spent hours staring out of his window watching the baby birds, promising the mama robin that he would keep them safe when she was away getting food. 

But then, one day, he noticed that only two birds were in the nest instead of three. It couldn’t have flown away. His mommy had said it was still too little for that. He threw on his shoes and ran down the stairs and into the yard, fearful tears already forming in his eyes.

He stopped a few feet short of the tree and collapsed onto knees. The baby robin lay on its side, stiff and lifeless. Without any thoughts about germs or mites, Stephen clutched the bird to his chest, sobbing as he pleaded with it to come back.

He didn’t notice that Sonia had followed him outside until she sat down next to him.

“What’s wrong, Stevie,” she asked, her own voice scared and concerned.

He uncupped his hands and showed her.

Her hands flew to her mouth, and her eyes immediately welled up. “Oh, no, your birdie. What happened?”

“He fell,” Stephen hiccuped, barely able to control his breathing enough to answer. “I was supposed to watch him while his mommy was gone and he fell.”

A whole new wave of tears took over and he sobbed even louder.

“It’s not your fault,” Sonia said, and she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. “I’m sorry.”

Together, they cried.


	14. Out on the Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on the prompt "Sonia and Aunt Ann have girls night when Leslie is out of town"

“So, we gave each other makeovers at the house, went and got pedicures, and now we’re having frozen yogurt for dinner. What’s next on Sonia’s Girls’ Night list?” Ann asked her honorary niece as they walked through the mall, frozen yogurt cups in hand.

“Uhm, I don’t know. I guess we can just walk the mall for now and do some window shopping.”

Sonia smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Hey, you okay?” Ann asked, but Sonia just gave a noncommittal shrug.

After dealing with her own adolescents, Ann knew what that shrug meant.  

“Alright, so there  _is_  something wrong, but you just don’t want to talk about it. Got it.”

“It’s nothing,” Sonia sighed. “It’s just…it’s stupid.”

“Does it have anything to do with your mom having to cancel on you?”

“Maybe,” Sonia mumbled. “Look, I know that her job is important and that she wouldn’t cancel on me unless it was an emergency, but…”

Ann reached her arm out and wrapped it around Sonia’s shoulder. “You’re right, she wouldn’t cancel unless it was important, and trust me, it killed her to do it. She called me in tears because she hated that she had to disappoint you. She would rather die than do anything to hurt you. She loves you so much, sweetheart.” She winks. “Almost as much as  _I_  love you.”

Sonia tried to hide her smile with her long hair, but Ann still saw the corners of her mouth twitch. “I know.”

“Good,” Ann said, kissing her on her temple. “You know, you’ve grown into a very smart young lady.”

Sonia gave Ann a cheeky grin, and while she definitely had Leslie’s looks, that smile was all Ben. “I know that, too.”

Ann nudged her shoulder and the two giggled.

“Aunt Ann?” Sonia asked after a few minutes of companionable silence.

“What, honey?”

“If my mom couldn’t be here with me, I’m glad you are.”

God, did she love that kid.


	15. The Importance of Locked Doors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on the prompt "Leslie or Ben catching one of their children in the act"

It still felt weird coming home to an empty house. After 18 years of raising three children, a quiet home was still so foreign. Yes, they both cried when they dropped off the triplets at Indiana University two months ago, despite their children’s consolation that Bloomington really wasn’t that far from Pawnee, and suffered from their fair share of empty nest syndrome, but sometimes,  _sometimes,_ it was a relief. 

“Oh, my God, I’m so tired,” Ben groaned as he wheeled his and Leslie’s suitcase inside the house.

“Right there with you, buddy,” Leslie yawned. “Who would have thought that a conference getting cut short would mean it’d be this hard to find a flight home.” She yawned again and rested her head on Ben’s shoulder. “I just want to go upstairs and take a long cuddle nap.”

“I am so there.” He continued to wheel the suitcase past the couch towards the stairs until one of the wheels got stuck on something. Ben looked down and groaned again as he bent to pick up the obstacle: a white sock. “These kids have been gone for two months and we’re still finding their stuff everywhere.”

“Wesley.”

Ben blinked at her. “How can you tell? It’s a plain, white sock.”

She grinned and tapped a finger to her temple. “Super mommy senses. Plus, when you do their laundry for the better part of their lives, you learn a few things.”

“I am inexplicably turned on right now.”

Leslie winked and walked towards the kitchen. “You go upstairs and drop that in his room and I’ll meet you in our room,” she threw over her shoulder. “I’m gonna make us a snack real quick. I’m starving. I don’t care how advanced airplanes have become, the food will always be terrible.”

Ben nodded and took the sock and suitcase upstairs while Leslie rummaged through the pantry. Not thirty seconds passed before she heard her husband scream and the sound of something falling onto the floor in Wesley’s room….and a faint, feminine shriek.

She dropped the snacks in her hand and ran upstairs, finding her husband with his back pressed firmly against their son’s door, his face pale and his lips pressed into a thin line.

“Are you okay? What happened?”

Ben just shook his head, as though he was too traumatized to answer. Before she could ask another question, the door behind Ben flew open and a shirtless Wesley rushed out, still buttoning up his jeans.

“Honey! What are you doing home?” she asked before her eyes widened in realization. “Oh…Oh!”

“Look, Dad, I can explain.”

“Well, I don’t think that’s necessary,” Ben said slowly, still in shock. “It seems pretty straight forward, doesn’t it?”

Wesley ran a nervous, shaking hand through his hair. “Yeah, I guess it does. Look, I thought you guys were supposed to be in D.C. until Monday and we just wanted a little privacy and-”

“Look, sweetheart,” Leslie tried to say calmly, “Your father and I are just a little shocked. Uhm, I mean, you…you’re an adult now, uhh, and…crap I had a speech prepared in case this ever happened and I can’t remember it.”

“You prepared a speech for this?” Ben asked incredulously, but then shook his head. “What am I saying? Of course you did.”

“Anyway, it’s just that we are a little…surprised right now. We, uh, we didn’t know you were seeing anybody.”

“Yeah,” Wesley blushed, “her name’s Casey. We met at school.”

Leslie voice dropped. “Are you…being safe?”

Wesley immediately pulled a face. “Ugh, Mom.”

“What? It’s a very serious question. The risks of-”

“Yes! God, yes, of course we are. Jesus.”

“Good. Now, I’m pretty sure Casey is in there scared and embarrassed, so why don’t you go and calm her down while I do the same with your dad. Then bring her downstairs so we can meet her. I’ll make some snacks.”

Wesley looked back and forth between his parents as though this was some sort of trap, but nodded and went back into his room.

“You know you can’t be mad at him,” Leslie told a still shocked Ben. “I remember a few stories from your college years.”

Ben’s eyes finally focused on Leslie. “I’m not mad, just…surprised.”

“I’m sure they were, too.”

“When I walked in, he got so startled he literally fell off the bed.”

“Okay, that explains the loud thump I thought was your body crumbling to the ground.”

Ben shivered involuntarily. “You know, it’s one thing to  _assume_  your kids are having sex, but walking in on them… I don’t think I’m ever gonna get the mental image of his bare ass out of my head. I used to  _change_  that ass, honey. And now…”

Leslie smiled sympathetically and linked her arm through Ben’s. “Come on. Let’s go make some snacks.”


	16. Weekend At Grandma's

“Gramma?”

Marlene pauses her dish washing to peer over her shoulder. “What is it, pumpkin?”

Stephen smiles bashfully because he loves the special nickname that only his grandma calls him. “Gramma, uhm, Wessie and Soso and me-”

“And  _I,”_  she corrects.

He takes another deep breath. “Wessie and Soso and  _I_  wanna know when you’re gonna come back and read to us.”

“I’ll be out there in just a second, okay?”

Stephen nods and runs back into the living room. “She’s coming!” he screams at the top of his lungs, but Marlene can only chuckle and shake her head. Stephen is certainly the loudest of her grandkids.

She wipes her wet hands on the dishtowel before going back out to the triplets.

“Gramma!” Sonia and Wesley shout in unison as though they didn’t just see her ten minutes ago.

“Alright, kiddos, have you decided what you want me to read?”

“Mommy’s waffle book,” Sonia says with a clap of her hands.

“Then go get it, sunbeam.”

Sonia runs to her little backpack and pulls out the book while Marlene makes herself comfortable on the couch. Wesley immediately takes a spot next to her and burrows into her side.

He looks up and gives her a lopsided grin, and she can’t resist pressing a kiss to his brown hair.

The rest of her grandchildren soon gather around her, contented smiles on their faces as she begins to read.

“Groffle the Awful Waffle, by Leslie Knope.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes mother and daughter don't always see eye to eye...

“What are these?” Leslie asks as she spies the three packets of paper on the table.

Sonia looks back and forth between her mother and packets. “Oh,” she says slowly, “those are…those are different college applications.”

Leslie’s eyes go wide. “Really? But I thought you were planning on going to Indiana?”

Sonia looks away and shrugs her shoulders. “I don’t know. I was thinking of looking into other schools.”

Leslie just stares blankly at her daughter. “It’s a great school, it’s close by, and has everything you could want. Why would you possibly want to look somewhere else?”

“Oh my God, are you seriously getting mad at me for wanting to apply to _colleges_?”

“You always wanted to go to Indiana.”

Sonia stands up from her seat, coming nose to nose with her mother. “No, _you_  always wanted me to go to Indiana. I only said it because that’s what you wanted to hear.”

“Then why did you keep this a secret from me and your father?” Leslie raises her voice to match her daughter’s.

“Dad knows.”

“What?! Oh, oh no. I forgave him when he went behind my back with April, but this is too far. He kept this from me about our own daughter? How could you?”

“Because you get like this!” Sonia screams back. “Because I needed help and I wasn’t about to deal with you flipping out because I was looking at options other than the ones  _you_ think I should have.”

“Oh, this will be so embarrassing. Here I’ve been touting how great our University is, and the governors daughter won’t even go there.”

Sonia balls her hands into fists and grunts in frustration. “Why is it always about you? What  _you_  want, how it will look on  _your_ image. What about what I want? It’s  _my_ life, Mom.  _My_  future, not yours. I don’t know, you’re like a bulldozer or something that just crushes people so you get your way.”

“I told Dad and not you because I needed someone, okay. I needed someone and I knew I couldn’t go to you. Even Dad knew, because we know how you are. This needs to be my choice. And yeah, maybe I will end up going to Indiana, but it’ll be because  _I_  want to go, not because of you.”

At this, Leslie freezes. Her countless other encounters that happened just like this one flash through her mind. She was so wrapped up in what she thought was best, that she forced her daughter to hide from her. Her own daughter couldn’t go to her for help, and that alone broke her heart.

“Oh God, I’m doing it again,” she whispers to herself. “I’m being a steamroller.”

Sonia just looks on in a mixture of confusion and anger. 

Leslie just shakes her head and pulls her daughter into a hug. “Oh, sweetheart I’m so sorry. Every time this happens, I swear that I’ll never do it again, but I do. You’re right, this needs to be your decision. My job is to help guide you, and I made it so that you couldn’t come to me for that.”

Sonia awkwardly pats Leslie’s back, knowing full well how rare it is to see her stubborn mother back down from a fight.

“Wait, is this it? Are we done fighting? I’m confused.”

“Yes, of course. You…you go wherever you feel is best. And your father and I will help with any of the applications and essays and whatever else you need. I just want what’s best for you, honey, and sometimes I forget that what might be best for me isn’t the same for everyone else.”

Sonia just smiles and hugs her mother tighter. “Thank you.”

Leslie kisses Sonia’s cheek. “Of course. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go pretend to be angry at your father and watch him squirm for keeping secrets.”


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on the prompt: "Ben and Leslie take the triplets out for waffles after their first day of kindergarten, one of the triplets being sad."

The family of five walk into the D.C. diner, Ben and Stephen on one side of the booth, and Leslie, Sonia and Wesley on the other. The waffles there aren’t nearly as good as J.J’s, but it  _is_  the best place they’ve found so far. 

Stephen and Sonia continue to tell their stories about their first day–about the new friends they made (”we played blocks together”), how nice their teacher is (”she let’s us have  _two_ snack breaks”), and about the pictures they drew (“I drew one of a bird riding a doggie like a horse”).

But throughout this entire exchange, Wesley remains silent, leaning heavily on his mother’s arm.

“What about you, Wes?” Ben asks his son. “What did you do today?”

Wesley doesn’t answer, instead turning to bury his face into Leslie’s side.

Her hand goes to run through his hair as she gives Ben a concerned look.

Wesley was always painfully shy in new situations, so unlike his brother and sister who could walk into a room and instantly make friends while Wesley hid behind them. The move to D.C. had been hard on him, and now, starting at a new school with a whole new group of people, they could tell he was having trouble adjusting.

Leslie puts aside her menu. “What’s wrong, sweetheart? Didn’t you have a good first day?”

He shakes his head. “I don’t like Kindergarten. Can I go back to preschool?”

“No, Wessie,” Sonia pipes up, “we’re big kids now so we go to Kindergarten.”

“Yeah,” Stephen agrees, “and it’s fun.” Stephen looks over at his mother and leans forward while cupping his hand on the side of his mouth. “Don’t worry, Mommy,” he does a poor job of whispering, “Wessie’s just shy.”

Sonia rolls her eyes. “You’re very bad at whispering, Stevie.”

“It’s okay,” he replies, squirming around restlessly as he eagerly awaits his chocolate milk to be brought to the table. “You and me’ll still play with him.”

Ben ruffles Stephen’s hair. “And that makes you and Sonia very good siblings, but it’s important that Wes makes his own friends.”

“I had friends at preschool,” he mumbles, his voice still muffled by Leslie’s shirt. 

“But now we get to make new ones,” Sonia smiles. 

“But it’s hard. What if they don’t like me?”

“Then they’re stupid.”

“Stephen,” Ben reprimands, “we don’t call people that.”

“Well, they are,” he murmurs under his breath. “But my new friends are nice.”

“Mine, too! And you should play with all of us tomorrow. Keith said he thought your glasses looked cool.”

Wesley pulls away from Leslie and peers over his shoulder at his sister, suspicious. “Really?” 

Stephen sits up on his knees. “I heard him say that, too. And Theresa said we should ask you to play with us tomorrow because you look like fun and she thinks its cool how we both have the same face.”

“See?” Leslie whispers in his ear as she rubs her hand up and down his arm. “You don’t have to be afraid. Sometimes it’s scary going to new places and meeting new people, but it can be fun. And Stephen and Sonia will be with you, too. Just stick it out a few more days for me, okay?”

Wesley just shrugs and sits up straight as the server puts his glass of milk in front of him. He takes a long sip through his straw. “I drew a dinosaur today and the teacher liked it enough to put it on the art board.”

That’s when they know he’ll be just fine.


	19. Prompt: The triplets on the campaign trail with either Ben or Leslie

She didn’t remember it being this hard when Ben was running. No,they’re not even talking about the relentless press or the grueling campaign schedule. It’s all about the triplets. 

Granted, they were barely four years old when Ben ran, so they usually left them with Marlene or Roz, maybe have a few family photos released to the press, but that was it.

Now, they were travelling across the state with three hormonal pre-teens as Leslie campaigned to be their next State Governor.

“Stephen, go brush your hair.” Leslie told her son as he sat around in a hotel room two hours north of Pawnee.

“Ugh, why? It’s fine.”

Leslie pinched the bridge of her nose. “Please, don’t start with me now. We have to be at a rally in less than an hour and your hair is crazy. You refused to cut it, so it’s your job to at least make it look presentable.”

“Mom,” Sonia whined as she threw herself on the bed, “Wesley is taking forever in the shower.”

“Why don’t you use the bathroom in mine and your dad’s room?”

“There was a spider in that one and until Dad comes back to kill it, I’m not using it.”

“Oh dear Lord,” Leslie mumbled. “Okay, then, honey, you’ll just have to wait.”

“Tell him to hurry up! He’s been in there for like 20 minutes.”

Leslie walks over to the bathroom door and pounds loudly. “Wesley Knope-Wyatt, you have five minutes to get out. Your sister needs the bathroom.”

“But Mom-”

“Not another word. Out in 5 minutes.”

“Why do we even have to come to these things,” Stephen complained as he ran a comb through his hair. “ _We’re_  not running for Governor.”

Sonia punched her brother on the arm. “God, Stephen, you’re so selfish. It’s important for Mom’s public image to be seen as someone that prioritizes family. Wouldn’t look too good if the never saw us or it looked like we weren’t supportive. Voters care about that kind of thing.”

Leslie smiled at her daughter. “That’s very astute of you, sweetheart. Your sister’s right, Stephen. It’s just a few of the bigger rallies. Besides, I love you guys and want you with me.”

“Still don’t see why I have to comb my hair,” he mumbled.

At that moment, Ben walked through the door with several fast food bags in his hands. “Alright you guys. Here comes the food wagon.”

Stephen throws down his brush and runs to grab one of the bags. “Yes, I’m starved.”

“Don’t get any on your shirt,” Leslie warned before checking her watch and going back to the bathroom door. “Wesley, if I don’t hear the water turn off in the next 5 seconds I’m coming in there. 5…4…3…2…1.” 

The water still ran.

“I warned you.” Leslie jiggled the knob and the door flew open. 

Wesley screamed, his pre-pubescent voice cracking. “Mom, what are you doing?!”

“I told you,” she said, standing on the other side of the curtain. She pulled a towel off of the wall and tossed it over the rod. “Out. Now.”

The water turned off immediately and Wesley stepped out from behind the curtain with a towel wrapped around his waist. 

“Get your things and get changed in our room.”

Wesley ran out of the bathroom and through the connecting door to his parent’s room, slamming it behind him. 

“Ugh, thank God,” Sonia sighed as she gathered her toiletries. “About time!” She yelled through the door, but Wesley only grunted in response.

Ben smirked as Leslie sighed and grabbed her bag of food. “That was kinda hot.”

“Yeah?”

“Groooooosssss,” Stephen said with a mouthful of burger, a small chunk of bun flying out of his mouth. 

“What’s gross are your manners,” Sonia said as she passed him on her way to the bathroom.

Stephen just laughed and chewed with his mouth wide open in his sister’s direction.

Ben rolled his eyes and turns back to Leslie. “Okay, so, I checked the venue and everything looks set up. The podium is there and the banners all look good. I double checked your speech, so unless you want to make any changes, that’s good to go. There seemed to already be a lot of press around, so that’s good.”

“And you got me dinner. Greatest, sexiest campaign manager ever.”

Wesley came in just as his parents kissed, his hair still wet. “Ewwwww.”

Ben tossed him his fast food bag. “Yeah, yeah, quit your whining and eat.”

“If you eat my fries, I’m gonna kill you, Wesley!” they heard Sonia scream from the bathroom.

Wesley stilled his hand, a fry halfway to his lips before putting it back. “How does she know?”

45 minutes later, food was eaten, showers taken, hair combed, onion breath eradicated, and they piled into the mini van.

Campaigning was hard on its own, but campaigning with three triplets was…well, it was actually the greatest thing in the world. And as she stood on that stage, her family by her side, she knew she wouldn’t have it any other way.


	20. Mediocre Hair Day

The times that Leslie leaves for business are always hard. Dealing with three toddlers is difficult enough with an army of help, let alone with one person. But Ben is used to it by now, has routines that are (mostly) upheld. He figured out what worked and what didn’t, and for the most part things rarely get  _too_  out of hand.

But the first time Sonia toddles up to him, hands him a brush and a ponytail and says “my hair, Daddy”, he freezes. 

“Okay. I’ll just brush it out and leave it down.”

Yeah, he can do that much. He’s been doing that since her hair grew long. A few passes with the brush and she’ll be good to go. But no, of course that wasn’t enough for his little girl today.

“No, a tail. Like Mommy and Auntie April do for me.”

“You want a ponytail?”

She nods and smiles that smile he can’t resist, the one that will inevitably be used for evil, but for now is just asking for a ponytail.

He now wishes more than anything that he paid attention more–that he wasn’t such a jerk and actually agreed to help his sister with her hair, or watched Leslie do hers more closely.

But how hard could it be, right? Brush it out, pull it up, and wrap the band around it enough times to defy the laws of gravity. But after 15 minutes, the best he can do is a lopsided, lumpy mess.

But his little girl still beams at him, looks at herself in the mirror as though her hair is Ben’s latest masterpiece. “Thank you, Daddy!” she practically squeals and gives him the wettest, most enthusiastic kiss imaginable.

He hugs her to him tight, not yet ready to let her go even though she’s itching to go back and play with her brothers. He knows that half-assed ponytails won’t cut it for too much longer, so he’s gotta savor this while he can.

And he has to remember to Google ponytail tutorials.


	21. Prompt: More Uncle Ron and Stephen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ron walked the little boy out to his truck. “So, young man, what do you know about wild boars?”

An excited 8-year-old Stephen answered the door, a huge smile on his face.

“Uncle Ron!”

“Stephen,” the older man nodded in greeting. “You are looking well.”

Ben walked up behind his son. “Hey, Ron. Thanks again for taking Stephen out with you today. It’s all he’s been talking about for days.

“It’s always a pleasure to share my knowledge of the outdoors with the next generation.” Ron looked at the book Stephen had clutched against his chest. “What have you got there, son?”

“It’s my bird book.” Stephen hoisted it in the air. “I wanna take it with me and see as many birds from here as I can.”

“Well, I would prefer you had something more useful, like a book on poisonous plants, or 101 ways to skin an animal, or how to build a bow and arrow using fallen tree branches-” 

“Ron, he’s eight year’s old,” Ben said in disbelief.

“Old enough to learn how to survive on his own in nature.” Ron looked down at the confused little boy. “But I suppose this will do just fine.”

“Yay! Uncle Ron’s gonna show me all the different birds and trees and fish and- Oh, can we pee in the bushes? Please?”

“Of course. We will urinate outside just as nature intended.”

Ben just rolled his eyes with a sigh. “Okay, well, you be good for Uncle Ron and stay with him and don’t wander off.” He covered the little boy’s ears. “And please, Ron, don’t  _kill_  anything in front of him.”

“While I disagree with your objections, I respect your position as the boy’s father and will only kill an animal in self-defense.”

Ben removed his hands from Stephens ears and ruffled his hair. “Okay, then, you two have fun.”

Ron walked the little boy out to his truck. “So, young man, what do you know about wild boars?”


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fic prompt: April catches Sonia playing stuffed animals with Jack in 2025 [from that kids group shot at the start of the very last Parks act] and winds up telling her she's pregnant again [after she told the adults but before Leslie and Ben's big announcement]

April walks out onto the courtyard and finds Sonia playing with little Jack. He’s all giggles and smiles as she tickles his belly with his stuffed elephant and blows raspberries on his chubby cheeks. 

April almost can’t believe that she nearly missed out on having all of this.

“What’s going on over here,” she asks, crouching down to be eye-level with her son and pseudo-niece. 

“We’re just playing, aren’t we Jackie?” Sonia tickles his belly again and he shrieks in delight.  

“You’re good with him, not to mention he loves you.”

“Well, I love him, too. But, of course, any kid of yours and Uncle Andy’s would be amazing,” she grins and ruffles Jack’s hair.

April licks her lips nervously. “What if I were to tell you that pretty soon there’s gonna be another mini Andy and April running around?”

Sonia freezes and looks over at April. “What? Seriously? Oh my God! That’s amazing.”

“Shh, you can’t tell anyone yet though. We want to wait a little longer, especially because you know how your mom is. It’ll be our little secret, okay?”

Sonia just nods before throwing herself at April for a tight hug.

“Okay, okay, enough of the hugging,” April smirks as she pulls away. “Alright, munchkins, I have to go back and join the rest of the boring adults. But remember, our little secret, right?”

“Right.”

April walks back inside, unconsciously running a hand over her belly. Leslie was right, they have a great team, and she couldn’t wait for the newest little member to show up.


	23. Prompt: Triplets throw a party while Leslie and Ben are away

Sonia held onto a cup of  _something_  as she weaved through the crowd of people in her home in search of her brother. She was going to  _kill_  him. Every few feet or so she paused to yell at some random party goer – _did that kid even go to their school–_  to stop them from destroying something valuable.

“Stephen, there you are.” She found him surrounded by a group of his friends near a keg she had no recollection being there 15 minutes ago. “Seriously, what the hell? I thought we agreed on nothing too wild and crazy while mom and dad are gone.”

Stephen just smiled lazily and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Soso, would you just relax. So, I invited a few friends and they invited a few and so on. Just have some fun, for once, would you?”

“Yeah, it’ll be real fun when these people destroy our house and break everything we own,” she hissed. “Real fun when the neighbors call the cops and the biggest national headline is how the governor of Indiana’s house got raided for underage drinking.”

Stephen put down his cup and drunkenly grabbed his sister’s face between his hands. “Sonia, I love you to death, I really do, but you need to lighten up.”

Sonia just slapped away her brother’s hands and rolled her eyes. “Ugh, where’s Wes?”

Her question was answered when she heard her bother’s familiar whoop of excitement as a large football player ran past them with Wesley on his shoulders, a red solo cup held high in the air in victory.

“I don’t even  _want_  to know what that’s about,” she murmured to herself before the sight of someone rummaging through her father’s desk drawer caught her eye. “Hey, you, with the calculator in his hands. Put Dr. Buttons down right now and no one gets hurt.”


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonia takes a deep breath. “I said that I want to go on birth control.”

Ben and Leslie are seated side by side on the couch, Ben’s arm slung loosely across her shoulders, when Sonia walks in, wringing her hands.

“Hey, uhm, Mom, can I talk to you for a second?”

Leslie looks over at her with a smile. “Sure, honey, fire away.”

Sonia’s eyes flick over to her father. “It’s kinda personal, and ya know, private…”

Ben sits there oblivious until he sees Leslie and Sonia’s expectant stares. “Huh? Oh! Uhm, okay, uh, I’ll just go…somewhere else, I guess.”

He squeezes Sonia’s arm lovingly as he passes her, and she gives a tight-lipped smile.

Leslie pats the now vacated couch cushion. “Come over and tell me what it is you wanted to talk about.” 

Sonia takes a seat, still looking at her hands. “Ok, so, I’m getting older now and I’ll be going away to college in a few years, and I was just wanting to–I just think it’s a good idea if I just…”

“Just what?”

“Iwanttogoonbirthcontrol.”

Leslie stares at her, confused. “What?”

Sonia takes a deep breath. “I said that I want to go on birth control.”

“Oh,” Leslie says with wide, surprised eyes. “Oh! Uhm, okay. You–you’re not, you know, unprotected-”

“What? No! No, I’m not  _doing_  anything.”

“Okay, because you know birth control doesn’t protect against-”

“Yes, I know,” Sonia groans and buries her face in her hands. “I know that. Like I said, I’m not, you know, having sex or anything. It’s just more of a precaution thing, I guess. Just to be prepared.”

“Alright,” Leslie says slowly, “well, that’s good. Uhm, yeah. Sorry, I’m very proud that you came to me, it’s just…I’m processing that my little girl is asking me for birth control.”

Sonia rolls her eyes. “Mom…”

“Sorry! I can’t help it. But yes, of course, if you feel it’s something you need, I’ll take you to the doctor to get you a prescription.”

Sonia’s shoulders relax and she sighs in relief. “Okay, awesome. Thank you.”

Before Sonia can scramble off of the couch, Leslie pulls her into a tight, suffocating hug.

“Mom! What the heck?” is Sonia’s muffled reply as she struggles to catch her breath.

“I’m hugging my baby,” she answers, not moving an inch to let Sonia go. “You’re growing up so fast, I just want to hold you and pretend you’re the five-year-old that found my tampons and strung them together to make a necklace.”

“Okay, this is getting weird.”

“Fine.” Leslie lets her daughter go with a sigh. “It’s just…there’s a lot of stuff going on out there right now and pressures to make you grow up faster than you might want. Be your own person, okay? Do what’s best for you.”

Sonia ducks her head and blushes. “I know, Mom.”

“Good, now go wash up and get your brothers. Dinner should be ready to come out of the oven in a few minutes.”

With one last, thankful smile, Sonia leaves the room and runs upstairs. 

After the echoes of her footsteps ring through the house, Ben pokes his head back into the living room.

“Is it safe?”

“Yeah, you’re fine,” Leslie smirks as her husband takes his seat next to her again. 

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, everything’s good. She’s just growing up so fast.”

Ben nods slowly. “Was it like…menstrual related?”

“In a manner of speaking.”

He just scrunches his face in confusion.

“You know you’re adorable when you’re confused? She had some questions about birth control, that’s all.”

Ben freezes. “Don’t–but–uhm, isn’t she a little young for that?”

“She’s your daughter. You’ll always think she’s too young. And not really, I wasn’t much older than her when my mother took me to get my prescription. Didn’t you father do something similar with you when you hit a certain age?”

“You know my dad,” Ben scoffs. “I don’t really think waking me up on my sixteenth birthday by throwing a box of condoms on my bed really counts.”

“Ouch, yeah definitely doesn’t.”

Bun just sits there, staring straight ahead for several seconds before he shivers. “Okay, I don’t want to think about my kids having sex.”

“And I’m sure they don’t ever want to think of us having sex, but that doesn’t make it any less true. All we can do is do what we can to make sure they’re being safe and responsible-”

“And we live in blissful ignorance.”

Leslie chuckles and kisses his cheek. “You’re terrible. Don’t you remember what it was like for you at their age?”

Without another word, Ben quickly stands up and goes to grab his keys and wallet.

“Babe, what are you doing? Dinner is almost ready.”

“I have to run to the store to buy Wes and Stephen some condoms.”

 


	25. May the Best Candy Win

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Red Vines versus Twizzlers in the Knope-Wyatt household

It was almost like a duel to the death, Sonia and Stephen pressed nose to nose, nostrils flared and eyes determined. 

In their hands they each held a bag of their sacred candy–the red licorice each was willing to fight for.

“Don’t even try to deny it, Stephen,” Sonia said through clenched teeth. “Red vines are better and you know it.”

“No way. Twizzlers rule and Red Vines drool.”

“That’s real mature. And besides, you’re just saying that because Grandpa likes them. You know, just because you have the same name doesn’t mean you have to agree with everything he says.”

Stephen scoffed. “I can think for myself, thank you very much. I like them because they’re better. And you’re one to talk, you only like them because they’re Mom’s favorite.”

“They’re her favorite because she’s a free thinking woman that knows a good thing when she sees it.”

“Then that doesn’t explain why she likes you, then,” Stephen taunted in a voice far too immature even for him.

Just when Sonia let out an angry grunt, Wesley strolled in the room and almost immediately tried to turn around once he realized what was happening.

“Stop, come back,” Sonia yelled out. “Be our impartial judge.”

“Ugh, not again,” he whined. “You guys do this all of the time. Can’t you just leave me out of it?”

“Sorry, bro, but you’re the only one that has no real preference,” Stephen shrugged. 

“Because they’re both just fine. Yeah, they’re a little different, but come on, red licorice is red licorice. It’s totally not worth this.”

The other two just gaped at him.

“You know, I’m almost ashamed that we shared a womb and have the same face. That is the single most offensive thing you could possibly say.”

“Yeah, that’s not true-”

“Either way,” Sonia cut in, “we want you to hear us out and then decide who has the best argument. You are the neutral party.”

“So, I’m like Switzerland?”

“Sure, if you want to be.”

“Nice. But again, I ask, why is this necessary? Okay, so you both like different licorice. Just eat your candy and be happy the other one won’t steal it. Isn’t that enough?”

Stephen sighed. “You just don’t get it. It’s so much more than that.”

“It’s really not.”

“God, would you just do it? Please? Do it and we won’t bother you about it again.”

“Never again? You guys swear?”

They nodded.

“Well, alright then. I’m in. First, I want you to give me both bags so I can read the ingredients as my first test of quality.”

Sonia and Stephen gave smug looks to one another before handing the bags to their brother.

“Hmm, okay, let’s see…” And just like that, Wesley was off, sprinting out of the house with both bags of candy clutched in his hands. “See you later, suckers!” he called over his shoulder and laughed wildly.

Sonia and Stephen gaped at one another before screaming “Wesley!” and chased their candy-stealing brother down the street.


	26. My Li'l Sebastian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> triplet prompt: pre-schooler sonia tells leslie that she prefers my little pony over li'l sebastian and ben secretly thinks it's hilarious

After-dinner group playtime was a staple in the Knope-Wyatt household. It was a time to unwind and catch up with the triplets after being away from them all day. 

It usually took place sprawled out on the living room floor, toys and books scattered across every surface. The boys were huddled together trying to build the world’s largest Lego tower, while Sonia sat on the floor surrounded by her stuffed animals and various figurines.  

“Mommy, Daddy,” the four-year-old called out to her parents. “Play farm with me.”

“Ooo, farm. That sounds fun,” Leslie encouraged as she moved to sit next to her daughter.

“Yeah.”

“What kind of farm did you want to have?” Ben asked.

“I want a pony farm. Mommy, can you gimme a pony please?”

Leslie turned around and spotted he collection of toy ponies and one very special mini-horse. She handed her daughter the stuffed Li’l Sebastian doll, unprepared for what happened next. 

“No, Mommy,” Sonia shook her head. “The purple one. I’ll be Twilight Sparkle and you can be Li’l Sebastian.”

Leslie froze. “Oh. Honey, if you want to be Li’l Sebastian, you can. He’s both of our favorites, but you can be him if you want to.”

“He’s not my favorite,” Sonia answered, her tone so innocent and honest. “Twilight Sparkle is my favorite.”

Ben nearly choked on his own spit, trying to hide his laugh behind a loud cough.

Leslie gave him the dirtiest of looks before turning back to her daughter. “But we both know how special Li’l Sebastian is. I thought  _he_  was your favorite.”

“Nope. Twilight Sparkle is on TV and goes on adventures with her friends and she’s a  _princess_.”

“Well, Li’l Sebastian has an honorary degree from Notre Dame.”

Sonia just tilted her head to the side and scrunched her face in confusion. It’s clear that’s not going to win any points for Li’l Sebastian.

“Oh.” She turned to look at her father and frowned. “Daddy, why is your face all red?”

In an effort to hold back his laughter and invoke the wrath of his wife, Ben’s lip were pursed, his eyes watery, and his face the color of a ripe tomato. 

He shook his head quickly. “It’s fine, sweetheart. Don’t worry about it.”

“Seriously, Ben? Our daughter is turning her back on her heritage and you think it’s funny? I knew it. I knew we shouldn’t have moved to D.C. These swamp dwellers who have no idea about the majestic Li’l Sebastian are filling her head with nonsense. This never would have happened if we were still in Pawnee.  Li’l Sebastian would always beat out Twilight Sparkle as top pony.”

“I thought he was a mini-horse,” Ben deadpanned, and he ducked when Leslie hurled a pillow at his head. 

Sonia watched this exchange with unshed tears in her eyes. “I’m sorry.” Her lip quivered. “I’ll be Li’l Sebastian if you want me to, Mommy. Just stop fighting with Daddy.”

It’s Ben’s turn to shoot Leslie an annoyed look before scooping Sonia onto his lap. “Oh, it’s okay, Sunshine. You be whatever pony you want to. Mommy and Daddy aren’t fighting. It’s okay.”

Sidling up next to them, Leslie ran her hand up and down her daughter’s back. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. Of course you can be any pony you want. Mommy was just being silly.”

“You’re not mad at me for liking Twilight Sparkle more than Li’l Sebastian?”

Leslie sighed and took a second too long to answer, earning her another glare from Ben. “No, of course not. And just because you like Twilight Sparkle doesn’t mean you don’t love Li’l Sebastian anymore right?”

The little girl nodded and smiled. “I still love Li’l Sebastian, too.”

“Okay. So how about we put those tears away and play?”

She nodded and squirmed off of Ben’s lap to grab her new favorite pony. 

Ben stifled another chuckle as Leslie picked up the Li’l Sebastian doll with a despondent look on her face.

“Oh, shut up, Ben.”

Ben winked and didn’t even bother to hide his laugh this time around. 


	27. Dinner at Grandma's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sunday dinner at Marlene's

The door opens to three happily screaming four-year-olds and their parents who greet Marlene with tired smiles. 

“Grandma!” they scream in unison before barreling into her legs and hugging her with a ferocity rivaled only by Leslie herself as a child.

“Oh my goodness,” Marlene chuckles, her arms doing the best they can to wrap around her grandchildren.  

“Okay, okay, monsters,” Leslie says as she walks into the house. “Give Grandma some room to move and breath.” She looks back up and smiles again, moving in to kiss Marlene’s cheek. “Hi, Mom.”

“Hi, sweetheart. Ben.”

Her son-in-law gives her his own smile and kiss on the cheek. “It’s good to see you, Marlene.”

“It’s great to see all of you, too. It’s not the same now that all of my babies are out in Washington.”

“We miss you, Grandma,” Stephen tells her. “We miss you SOOOOOOOO much.”

“Really, pumpkin? That much?”

Wesley nods. “Yeah! We miss you THIS MUCH.” The boy opens his arms as wide as he can.

“Wow, that’s a lot.”

Sonia tugs on the leg of her slacks. “Grandma, we brought you presents.”

Marlene kneels down. “You did? Well, I can’t wait to see them.”

Sonia looks over to her father and reaches her hands towards the bag he has slung over his shoulder. “Daddy, can you gimme Grandma’s presents.”

He raises his eyebrows at her and tilts his head.

“Can you gimme Grandma’s presents,  _please_ ,” she says with a slight huff, but Ben still hands over the bag.

Her brother’s assist her in pulling the various scraps of paper from a folder in the bag.

“Here, we drawed all these pictures for you.”

Stephen hops up and down in barely concealed excitement. “Yeah, Mommy and Daddy took us to some of our favorite places and we drew pictures of them for you. Look, here’s the really pointy tower, and the big man sitting on his chair-”

“And this is the dinosaur at the museum,” Wesley cuts in, “and the butterflies at the garden.”

“I drew the president’s house.” Sonia holds up her picture. “Mommy said we’re gonna live there someday.”

Marlene gathers up the countless sheets of paper and goes through each and every one of them. “Thank you so much. These are lovely. They’re going right on the fridge.”

The triplets look overjoyed at the prospect of their creations being deemed good enough to be placed on the pedestal known as “Grandma’s Fridge”.

“I think you might find some presents of your own over in the study if you three want to go check it out.”

Their eyes go wide, and without a backwards glance, the triplets run out of sight.

“You’re gonna spoil them, Mom,” Leslie sighs with a smile, throwing herself onto the couch.

“I’m a grandmother. It’s my job.”

Ben stretches out next to Leslie, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. “She’s got a point there, babe.”

“And I can’t help it that they also happen to be perfect and adorable.”

“Hmm, yeah adorable, perfect handfuls.”

Ben leans over and kisses Leslie’s cheek. “Yes, but they’re  _our_  adorable, perfect handfuls.”

Marlene laughs and shoots Leslie a wink. “Speaking of which, are you planning on having anymore little handfuls?”

Ben groans aloud and throws his head against the couch, Leslie cackling beside him. “I tease Ben about it all of the time, but I’m pretty sure this baby maker is closed for business. Doesn’t mean we stop practicing-”

Ben groans louder this time which only fuels Marlene and Leslie’s laughter.

“Aww, babe, don’t be so embarrassed. It’s not anything she doesn’t already know considering the number of times she’s watched the kids so we could have “Mommy and Daddy playtime”.”

“You’re not helping.”

“Grandma!” Sonia yells as she runs back into the room. “Come play with us.”

“Alright, sunbeam. I’ll be there in a minute. But we can only play for a little. Dinner will be ready soon.”

The little girl nods before sprinting back.

Marlene’s eyes follow her with a wistful smile before she stands up, patting Leslie and Ben’s knees as she passes them. “It’s good to have you back home.”

Leslie reaches out and grasps her hand. “It’s always good to be home, Mom.” 

With one last squeeze of her daughter’s hand, Marlene goes to spend as much time with her grandbabies as she possibly can. 


	28. Baby Proof

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Whoever coined the term “baby proofing” should be drawn, quartered, and sued for false advertising.

Whoever coined the term “baby proofing” should be drawn, quartered, and sued for false advertising.

Maybe “baby proofing” worked for some households, households that didn’t have three hyperactive, extremely focused geniuses running around wreaking non-stop havoc starting the second they were stable on their feet.

Latches on the pantry doors? Didn’t stop Stephen from breaking in and dousing himself in flour and peanut butter.

Placing shampoo on the highest shelf in the shower? Sonia still managed to “wash” her own hair in the middle of the bathroom floor with half a bottle of No More Tears. There  _were_  tears, but they had nothing to do with soap. 

A latch on the toilet seat? Ben still found his wallet submerged in the bowl, a giggling Wesley running away from the scene of the crime.

Has it been mentioned that all of this happened within the first two hours of Leslie leaving for a trip to D.C.?

After finally,  _finally_  getting the kids all down for a nap, Ben curled up on his bed a defeated man. Leslie was hesitant to leave Ben alone with the kids, not for their sake, but for his. They were in their terrible twos, and a handful even with the both of them around. 

But no, Ben told her everything would be fine. He could handle the kids for two days and one night by himself. Marlene? Oh, no she needed a break from them, too. It’ll be fine.

He wondered now how Leslie could have ever married a man so stupid.

Just as his eyes began to droop, there was a shuffle in the hall and the sound of his bedroom door creeping open.

“Daddy?” the voice called, slightly muffled due to the thumb in her mouth.

He rolled over to see his daughter slowly walking towards him. She reached the edge of the bed and put her hands up, too short to climb up the tall mattress on her own.

He heaved her up with a grunt, expecting some form of a melt down, but it never came. There were no tears from bad dreams, no need for water or a snack, no potty emergencies.

With a contented sigh, she just curled up against his chest, her thumb back in her mouth and her stuffed elephant tucked between her arms. 

“Love you, Daddy,” she said before her eyes drifted shut.

Ben laid his head down and wrapped a protective arm around his daughter, his other hand gently stroking her hair.

Yes, he might be the dumbest man in Pawnee, but he was also the luckiest.


	29. Drunk Driving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: one of the triplets gets drunk at a high school party and Leslie has to go pick them up

She’d be lying if she said she’d never thought about it before. While she and Ben tried to instill a sense of safety and responsibility into their children, she also remembered what it was like at this age. Remembered the few parties she went to, remembered the feeling of a red cup of  _something_  being thrust into her hand at the house of some kid whose parents were away and didn’t lock the liquor cabinet.

So yes, she’d thought about it. Figured it’d be Stephen at the house of one of his baseball teammates, or maybe even Sonia testing the boundaries on her path to womanhood.

She honestly,  _honestly,_ never expected for it to be Wesley. 

He was always the more reserved of the three. Yes, he had his friends, was well liked, but he was still the introvert–so much like his father. She never expected him to  _want_  to go to a party, to drink so much that one of his friends was worried enough to call her to come get him. 

Was she upset? Yes, but more so out of worry than anger. The anger could come later once she was sure he was okay.

But outside from that, she was just…surprised. 

With her lip between her teeth, she pulled up to the curbside where Wesley and his friend sat. It wasn’t anywhere near a house that looked like it was hosting a High School party, but she figured this friend knew better than to have the governor of Indiana show up at a house filled with booze and underage students.

Wesley sat with his head slumped on his friends shoulder, very drunk, but at least conscious.

Good, conscious was good. 

She practically ran from the car over to the two boys, the one–Rick she thought his name was–doing his best to stand and support Wesley’s weight.

“I’m so sorry, Ms. Knope,” the boy says, with equal parts fear and genuine worry, “I just didn’t know what else to do. He was in pretty bad shape.”

“No, you did the right thing. Thank you.” She pulled her son’s face into her hands and checks him over, his eyes only half open. She briefly glanced over at Rick. “And you? How are you holding up?”

The young man blushed and looked down at his feet. “I’m fine. I only drank a little bit.”

She nodded and focused back on Wesley. 

After a few moments, it finally clicked in the poor boy’s brain that Leslie was even there, and he immediately grinned.

“Mommy!” he slurred with a smile before swaying unsteadily. It was the first time he’d called her “mommy” in years, and it might have been cute under different circumstances. 

His eyes then bulged once he put all of the pieces together–that his mother was here to take his drunk ass home.

“Oh, no. Oh no no no no. You’re not-” he stopped and held his breath as he tried to suppress a hiccup. “You’re not ‘sposed to be here. I’m–oh God I’m so dead. You’re gonna kill me and then I’m gonna die and you’re gonna kill me again. I-”

This time he couldn’t hold it in and turned his head to vomit onto the street.

Once he was finally able to lift his head again, he looked like he was on the verge of tears.

“I’m sorry. I don’t feel good. I’m so sorry.”

Leslie sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I know, baby. Let’s get you home.” She turned over to Rick. “I can give you a ride if you need it.”

The young man blushed again and shook his head. “No thank you, ma’am. I’m just a couple of blocks away.”

“Okay, but text Wesley when you get home so I know you got there okay. And don’t think we aren’t going to talk about this sometime in the very near future.”

He blanched and swallowed thickly, but shrugged his shoulders in resignation. “I figured.”

She reached out and patted the boy’s shoulder. “Thank you, though. For looking out for Wes. You’re a good friend.”

With a nod, he spun on his heel and slowly made his way home.

After a few moments, Leslie was finally able to get her son–when did he get to be so much taller than her?–buckled into the passenger’s seat.

By the time Leslie walked around to the driver’s side, Wesley had his forehead pressed against the cool glass of the window.

“ ’m tired.”

“If you need to throw up again, tell me so I can pull over.”

Wesley continued to stare out of the window. “Are you mad at me?”

His voice was so small and pathetic sounding, it almost broke Leslie’s heart.

“Yes.”

“Sorry I disappointed you.”

“This is not about disappointing me, Wesley,” she snapped. “This is about you lying to your father and me about where you were and drinking almost to the point of alcohol poisoning. Do you know how dangerous that was? This is so unlike you. What on earth possessed you to do this?”

Wesley curled up in his seat. “I dunno. Jus’ wanted to see wha’ it was like. Let loose, I guess. Wanted to know what it fel’ like to rebel for once.” He huffed. “You just won’t get it.”

“At the risk of sounding like an after school special, I  _do_  get it. I was your age, once. I remember feeling the pressures of life and school and the stigma of being a bit too straight laced. And yes, you  _were_  the last one out of the three of you that I expected to have this conversation with-” She sighed again. “Maybe that’s  _why_  it happened.”

“ ’Zat mean I’m not in trouble?”

“Ohhhh, no,” Leslie drawled. “You are  _so_  grounded. And we are going to have a repeat of this conversation with your father tomorrow when you’re hungover and sober enough to remember what we’re even talking about.  _And_ you’re going to read and summarize every single alcohol awareness pamphlet sponsored by the state of Indiana.”

“Isn’t how bad I feel punishment enough?”

“Keep trying to negotiate with me and I’ll tack on community service.”

Wesley groaned and and wrapped his arms around himself even tighter.

“Mom?”

“Yeah?”

“I  _am_  sorry.”

She looked at him from the corner of her eye. “I know, sweetheart.”

“Mom?”

Another sigh. “Yes?”

“Can you pull over, please?”

She barely reached the curb before he threw open the door and heaved.


	30. Prompt: Sonia comes out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonia comes out as Bi to Ben and Leslie

Sonia plops next to Wesley on the couch and rests her head on his shoulder with a dramatic sigh.

“What’s up, buttercup?” he asks with a smirk.

“So, I kind of have a rather personal question for you.”

“Oooooh, sounds intriguing. Fire away.”

“Uhm, so you like boys and girls, right? I mean, Stephen told me that you were seeing a guy from your dorm and…”

He smiles. “Hmm, yes, that is correct.”

She pulls her head up and runs a hand through her hair. “So, how did Mom and Dad take it….when you, you know, when you told them.”

“Oh it was easy…considering I haven’t told them yet.”

“What?!” her eyes bulge. “But–but you tell them _everything_. I mean, it’s almost disturbing how open you are with them.”

He eyes her skeptically. “Why the sudden interest in my sex life? Or more specifically, why the interest in what Mom and Dad know about my sex life?”

She bites her lip and looks away, and Wesley smiles even wider. “No way! You too?” He pumps his fist. “Yes, Stevie owes me twenty bucks”

“I can’t believe you,” she says, slapping his arm. “Were you guys seriously taking bets on my sexuality. You’re disgusting.”

“Oh, please, he already told me that you guys bet on whether Casey was a boy or a girl. I think we’re all way beyond that.”

“Fine,” she grumbles. “But enough about that and more focus on why you didn’t tell them yet.”

He just shrugs. “It never felt like a good time. And after dad caught me having sex with Casey, I didn’t really want to drop another bombshell.”

Sonia’s eyes go wide and she pales.

“Wait,” he tries to backtrack, “not like I think it’ll be a huge deal or anything and that they’ll freak out if you tell them. It’s just, uhm crap, I’m not helping.”

She moans and falls back against the couch. “Great, I came here to get some courage and all you’ve done is make it worse.”

“I’m sorry.” He reaches out to take his sister’s hand. “Soso, everything’ll be fine. You know how Mom and Dad are. Sure, it might come a little as a surprise, but it won’t change anything. They’ll still love you. And it makes sense that you tell them before I do. You were always doing things first. You walked first, talked first, had sex with boys first. You’re a real trailblazer.”

She laughs despite herself. “And you honestly think they’ll take it okay?”

“I really do. As long as Mom still thinks there _might_  be a chance with you and Oliver, she’ll be cool,” he teases.

“Ew, Oliver is like my brother. I never understood why she and Aunt Ann want us together so bad.”

“Well, you know how they are. Too bad they don’t know yet that I have a better chance with him than you do.”

Her jaw drops. “No way.”

He just shrugs innocently. “Hey these lips don’t kiss and tell, but if they did…” She shoves him again with a laugh, and Wesley manages to pin her down for a noogie. “Feeling better, sunshine?”

“Oddly enough, I am. Thank you.” She stands up and starts her walk towards her parents’ room.

“Go get ‘em, tiger!”

* * *

She takes a deep breath before knocking, having definitely learned the hard way when it comes to barging in unannounced. 

Her parents were gross sometimes.

“Come in,” her mother’s voice calls out and Sonia slowly opens the door.

Her dad is on his side of the bed reading a book while her mom sits writing something on her desk in the corner. Ben stops reading and looks up with a smile.

“Hey, Soso, what’s up?”

“Uhm, I actually was wondering if I could talk to you guys about something.”

Her mom stops writing almost immediately and goes to sit next to her dad with barely concealed excitement. “Yes, of course. Come sit and talk. See, Ben, I told you that our babies would still come to us.” She looks over at Sonia and smiles again. “What is it you wanted to talk about?”

“Uhm, well, you see, it was more of a question, actually. So, you know we’re home for winter break for a while–”

“Which I love because you three are home.”

“Yes, which you love. And I know you were always okay with friends coming over, too, so I was wondering if I could invite someone over some time before we go back to school.”

Leslie grins and raises her eyebrows. “Ohhh, is this a _special_  someone?”

“Yes.” Sonia swallows and wipes her sweaty hands on her jeans. “If you don’t mind.”

Her dad just nods his head. “I don’t see how that would be a problem, right babe?”

“No, of course not. It’s a milestone. Sonia bringing home her first college boyfriend. What’s his name?”

“Uhm, _her_  name is Laura.”

Her father’s eyes go wide and his jaw drops, but he quickly recovers. Leslie takes a little longer.

The long silence only makes the feeling in her stomach worse.

“So…” her father eventually says, “the person you’re seeing is a girl.”

“Yes, and you were always very open and honest about the different ways that love and sexuality can be expressed across all genders, so if you have a problem-”

“Oh, honey, no,” Leslie finally says. “I’m sorry if it came across that way. We’re just a little shocked, that’s all. I’m sorry that I assumed, but I had no idea. Of course we don’t have a problem with you being gay.”

“Bisexual, actually.” Sonia lets out a relieved sigh. “So, you guys are…okay with everything?”

“Yes, honey, of course.” Ben pulls his daughter into a hug that Leslie quickly joins in on. 

“We love you no matter what. And as long as they treat you with kindness and respect, you have the right to be with anyone you want.”

Sonia squeezes each of her parents extra hard in their group hug. “Thank you. It feels so good getting this off of my chest.”

“You can come to us with anything. Don’t ever forget that.”

Sonia pulls away and lets out another deep breath. “Wow, okay, uhm I’m gonna go call Laura and see when she can come down and visit.”

She gives each parent a quick kiss on the cheek and runs out of the room smiling brightly.

She closes their door behind her and leans against it to catch her bearings and let the last bits of adrenaline fade. 

“Wow, that was unexpected,” she hears her dad’s muffled voice say through the door.

“I know. We were so focused on waiting for Wes to come out to us, we missed this one coming by a mile. Oh, I can’t wait to meet Laura. I wonder what her favorite desserts are? You think I can have Soso find out so I can make something special?”

“I’d wait until we actually know when she’s coming.”

“True. Well, at least this means that now there’s a better chance of at least ONE of our kids marrying one of the Perkins-Traegers.”

“Babe, you and Ann really have to stop trying to set our kids up like that. If it’ll happen, it’ll happen.”

Sonia can’t listen much more before laughing out loud and blowing her cover, so she runs back downstairs and whips out her phone. 

She has a girlfriend to call and a brother to tease. 


	31. What the Birds and Bees Do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on the prompt: Ben and Leslie tell the kids about the birds and the bees

 

 

“Dad, what _is_  sex?”

The question was innocent enough. Wesley’s at that age where the things he heard on TV and at school were starting to make some sense, but that didn’t mean Ben knew how to answer.

He immediately got flustered, struggling for words that made no sense while poor Wesley watched in utter confusion.

“I think it’s time me and your mom had a talk with you three. We’ll, uh, we’ll explain then.”

Wesley eyed him skeptically before shrugging and walking away, because what else could he do, really.

Ben just ran his hands over his face and hoped that Leslie had a binder for this.

* * *

She did, because of course she had a binder for explaining sex to their children. She had four identical ones, in fact, one for Leslie and Ben to share and one for each of the triplets to follow along.

It had pictures and diagrams and cartoon body parts with speech bubbles. It was probably better than anything being used in the public school system for health class. Speaking of which, he really needed to work on that comprehensive sex-ed Bill…

She literally squealed in excitement when Ben told her about Wesley’s question and broached the subject of giving the kids “the talk”.

“This is so exciting,” she had said, pulling the binders off of a shelf in her office. “I’ve been sitting on these for a few years now just waiting for the right time.”

And the right time was now upon them.

They sat the triplets down, Leslie handing them their binders with a smile. They started leafing through them before the official talk started, Sonia genuinely interested and reserved, Wesley borderline horrified, and Stephen on the verge of giggles.

“Okay, guys,” Leslie said as she sat across from them. “Your dad and I feel like you are old enough to have the sex talk.”

Stephen giggled again.

“Stephen, please don’t laugh every time I say the word sex. Or penis and vagina, for that matter. I’ll be using them a lot today, so get it all out of your system now.”

It took a little while for the round of giggles to die down, but once it did, Leslie opened her binder. “Okay, so remember how when you asked how babies were made, we told you that it was from sex and we’d explain that to you when you were a little older?”

Three heads nod.

“Good. And you know that that some people have penises and others have vaginas and that they’re different?”

A few giggles, but still more head nods. 

“Well, your dad and I are going to talk to you more about that and clear up any confusion and answer your questions, okay? Now, open your binders to page one and let’s follow along with the adventures of Richard the Penis and Virginia the Vagina.”

* * *

Ben didn’t remember it taking this long when he got the sex talk as a kid, but then again, he had to remember who his father was. He basically told him what went where and that was the end of it.

Thankfully, Leslie was nothing like his father. She was thorough and understanding and answered every question the kids threw at her without hesitation. He’d be lying if he said even _he_  didn’t learn a thing or two about the anatomy of the uterus. 

“Wait, so _that’s_  what happens during puberty?” asked Stephen who stared wide-eyed at his binder, before looking over at Ben for confirmation.

“Uhm, yeah. Yup. That’s….that’s what happens.”

Wesley also finally looked up from the binder. “Yours does that?”

Ben nodded and hoped to God his face wasn’t turning red. 

“And Soso’s gonna bleed from her vagina?!”

Sonia grimaced and crossed her arms over her stomach.

Leslie just nodded again. “Yes, once her body decides it’s ready, she’ll start menstruating.”

“Gross.”

“Hey, it’s not gross. It’s perfectly natural and I expect _both_  of you to be respectful and understanding of your sister when it happens, okay?”

The boys lowered their heads, properly chastised. “We will. Sorry.”

“Yeah, sorry Soso.”

“Good. Now, I know a lot of this might not make sense yet, but it will as you get older, and you’ll probably have more questions. Me and your dad will always be around to answer them for you, okay? You’re gonna hear a lot of false information out there, so feel free to come to us to get the facts straight. 

“And never forget that your body is your own and don’t let anyone do anything to it that you don’t feel comfortable with. I don’t care who it is. I don’t want you to feel pressured to do anything you aren’t ready for. And the same goes for others. You never do anything to them without their consent. Do you understand?”

Three heads nod and murmur their assent.

“Okay, good,” Leslie smiled. “Unless you have anymore questions, I think we’re good. Honey,” she turned to look at Ben, “did you have anything you’d like to add?”

He couldn’t shake his head fast enough. “Uh, nope. Nope, you pretty much covered everything.”

“Okay, kids. You’re free to go. I’ll call you when dinner’s ready.”

It seemed like they were almost as uncomfortable about the whole talk as Ben was, and ran from the room.

“See, that wasn’t so bad,” Leslie sad as she gathered her binder and other loose papers. 

“If you say so.”

“Aww, why so nervous? It’s perfectly natural, babe. They needed to learn about this some time.”

He rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged. “Yeah, you’re right. It’s just…you know I’m not good at this kind of stuff, and it just makes them growing up even more real. It seemed like just yesterday they were running around in diapers, and now we’re talking to them about sex. They’ll be all grown up and out of the house before we know it.”

Leslie sighed. “Yeah, I know what you mean, but just because we don’t want it to happen doesn’t mean it won’t. And I’d rather they be ready for what’s coming than be unprepared and surprised.”

Ben walked over and wrapped his arms around Leslie’s waist. “You’re right. You’re always right.” He kissed her softly and slowly. “I’m glad that I have you by my side for all of this because I’m pretty sure I’d just make a fool out of myself.”

“You’ll get more comfortable with it eventually.” She smiled up at him and linked her fingers behind his neck. “And you’re gonna have to because in a few years you’ll need to give the boys the PG-13 version of the sex talk. And condoms. Can’t forget about those.”

“Babe,” he moaned, “I know it’s important, but can we _please_  not talk about the kids and sex anymore. It’s spoiling the mood.”

“Oh, and what mood might that be?” she said with a giggle.

“I think you know exactly-”

Ben got cut off when Sonia ran back into the room. “Sorry, forgot my binder.”

She looked up at them and her eyes narrowed as she frowned.

“What is it sweetheart?” Leslie asked. “You okay?”

Sonia just nodded slowly and wrinkled her nose. “Yeah, it’s just…now I know exactly what you’re doing when you lock your door.”

 


	32. Dropout Knockout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: please write something where one of the triplets wants to either not go to college or wants to drop out of college and they are super worried to tell Leslie because they think she's going to freak out but she handles it really well and maybe helps them figure out what they actually want to do

Leslie finds Wesley on the couch in the living room, the television on but he doesn’t seem to be watching.

“Hey, what’s up?” she asks as she plops down next to him. “I thought you were going with Stephen and Sonia to the movies?”

He stiffens briefly but shrugs. “Didn’t feel up to it. Nothing good is playing anyway. Besides, what’s the point of spring break if you can’t sit at home doing nothing, right?”

She smiles and ruffles his hair just like she used to do when he was four and would crawl into her lap. It usually brings an annoyed smile to his face these days, but for some reason his lips remain in their thin line.

“Well, feel free to hang around here as much as you want. I love it when you guys come home from school. Speaking of which, have you decided what classes you’re taking next year.”

He licks his lips and shakes his head. “Uh, no, not yet. You see, Mom I–”

“Oh! Did you need help deciding? This’ll be so fun! We can pick your classes together.” She starts to stand. “I know I have a course catalog around here somewhere. Maybe we can–”

“Mom!” he interrupts. “Just stop. Sit down, okay? There’s something I need to talk to you about.”

She frowns and takes her seat again. “Sure, what is it?”

He takes a deep breath and runs his hands through his hair, the exact same way that Ben does when he’s about to say something she’s probably not going to like.

“Uhm, you see–and I just want you to hear me out on this before you freak out, okay? It’s kind of huge and I know it’ll impact my future and everything, but–”

“Oh, God, you didn’t get someone pregnant, did you?”

His head snaps up and his eyes bulge. “What?! No, no of course not. God, why would you even think that. It’s not that at all. Jesus.”

“Well, you’re scaring me and you’re making the same face that your dad makes when he’s got bad news and you were saying all that about your future and it’s the first scary thing that popped into my head. But okay, it’s not that. That’s good. It can’t be worse than that.”

“I want to drop out of school.”

She stares at him for a few seconds before bursting into laughter. “Oh, Wes, that’s a good one. You want to drop out of school. Wow, you almost had me there for a second.”

Her laughter dies down once she realizes that her son isn’t laughing along and refuses to meet her eyes.

“I mean, it’s a joke, right? It has to be because you just told me that you want to drop out of college.”

“It’s not a joke. I’m being 100% serious. I don’t want to go back next fall.”

She just continues to gape at him. “Don’t you think that’s a little drastic. I mean if you don’t like the school I’m sure you can transfer, or if your grades are slipping you can find a tutor or–”

“No, Mom, please. Just listen. It isn’t any of those things. There’s nothing wrong with the school. And I’m actually doing well in my classes. I just hate college. I don’t want to do it. There’s nothing there that interests me. I mean, business management? I don’t want to do that. I just chose it ‘cuz I felt pressured to declare a major. I’m miserable, Mom. I don’t think I can take it anymore. So, yeah, that’s what I wanted to tell you. Now you can freak out and threaten to throw me out of the house if I don’t stay in school and tell me how I’m ruining my life or whatever else you’re going to do. Just get it over with.”

She doesn’t say anything yet, just continues to look at her son as he sits dejectedly with his hands folded in his lap. It’s almost like when he was seven and waiting for his punishment after accidentally hitting a baseball through their neighbor’s window. 

But he’s not that little boy anymore. He’s her grown up son that is starting to think for himself and make his own decisions, even if they weren’t the ones she’d have made for him.

He laughs, but it’s a mirthless, empty one. “Wow, it must be really bad if you haven’t started yelling at me yet.”

“Wes, I’m–” she sighs and reaches out to take his hand. “Sweetheart, I’m not going to yell at you, okay? I’m not going to lie and say that I’m not completely shocked by this, but I’m not angry.”

He looks over at her like he doesn’t quite believe her. “You’re not?”

“No. I guess college isn’t for everyone. I just want you to make absolutely sure this is what you want to do. I know how hard you’ve worked and I don’t want you to throw it all away on a whim.”

“I’m really not. I promise. I honestly never wanted to go to college to begin with, but I knew how much it meant to you and Dad, so I figured I’d give it a try. But I just hate it. This isn’t what I want to do with my life.”

“Okay,” she says slowly. “Do you know what you want to do instead?”

“No idea. I was kind of hoping maybe college would miraculously change that, but it hasn’t. Nothing so far feels right. I’m not like you or Dad. I didn’t have huge dreams that I knew I wanted to accomplish in my career. I just feel so stuck and lost.”

“Oh, honey.” Leslie reaches out and pulls her son into a hug, one that he gives into easily. “I know it can be tough, and as long as you’ve thought this through and are serious about working hard to figure out what to do next, I’ll definitely be there to support you.”

He pulls away and his smile is so relieved and happy it makes Leslie’s heart ache with that same motherly love she discovered the second he was put into her arms all of those years ago. “Really? You mean it?”

“Of course. How about you finish this semester out, and then sometime this summer we go out to Washington to visit your Aunt April at the Foundation and let her work her magic on you and see if we can find you something. Does that sound good?”

It’s almost like she can see the weight being lifted off of his shoulders. “Yeah, that sounds good.” He hugs her again and gives her a sloppy kiss on her cheek. “Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome, honey. I just want you to be happy and find something you love. Everyone deserves that. We just need to tell your dad.”

“How mad do you think he’ll be?”

“Eh, probably a little mad, at first, but I think he’ll understand if you explain it to him like you did to me.”

He smirks. “It’s not like he can get all that mad at me. At my age, he bankrupted an entire town and got impeached. I feel like I’ve got a one up on him still even with this.”

She shouldn’t have laughed, but she did. “And he turned out okay, right? I think there’s still hope for you.” She winks and pats his leg. “Wow, I still can’t believe that you’re all grown up. It’s almost like it was just yesterday that you hated wearing clothes so you’d run around the house naked and we’d have to chase you.”

“Mom….” he rolls his eyes but still grins.

Leslie just cackles and stands back up. “Well, I have a few calls to make this afternoon, so I’ll be in my office if you need me. You good?”

“Yeah, I’m good. Thanks again. This means everything to me.”

And to help her son find something in his life that he loves just as much as she loves her career means everything to her, too. 

After all, isn’t that what being a mom is all about?


	33. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: So what if growing up, one of the triplets doesn't get the Lil Sebastian adoration thing, but they're ashamed and afraid to say anything because of how much everyone else does. Ben finds out and admits he never understood it either (whether or not Leslie overhears is up to you)

“Hey, So,” Ben said with a smile, walking onto the back porch to find his daughter sitting on the steps. “Your mom wanted me to come find you. It’s almost time for the Li’l Sebastian tribute video.”

Sonia groaned before she could stop herself, looking up to her father bashfully. “Uhm, sorry. Yeah, I’ll be right there.”

Instead of going back inside, Ben took a seat beside her, grimacing slightly as his knees cracked.

“What’s up, buttercup? You don’t seem as excited as you usually do.”

Sonia bit her lip, looking back towards the house briefly. “Dad, can I tell you a secret? Something you can’t tell Mom because I don’t want to hurt her feelings?”

“Of course, sweetheart. You can tell me anything.”

She took a deep breath and twister her little ten-year-old hands. “Dad, I don’t get Li’l Sebastian. I just don’t. I know you and Mom and Wes and Stephen all love him and that’s great, but I just _don’t_  get it. I mean he’s cute. He’s a pony or whatever, but what’s the point?!”

Ben sat there, in stunned silence while Sonia’s face got more and more distraught.

Just when Sonia looked like she was about to burst into tears, Ben pinched his nose and started laughing, pulling his daughter into a tight hug.

“Good Lord. Sweetheart, I have been thinking the same thing for fifteen years.”

“Wait, what?”

“I just don’t get him either. Yeah, he’s cute but seriously, what’s the deal? I know your mother loves him so I just go along with everything, but really?”

“You’re not upset?”

“Upset? God, no. I’m relieved if anything knowing that at least one of you took after me in that and I’m not the only one sitting there waiting for it to be over. We’ve watched the _same_  tribute video every year since he died. I barely get through it.”

“Then why do you do it? Can’t we just go get ice cream instead or something while Mom and the boys watch it.”

Ben wrapped his arm around his daughter’s shoulders. “Because as much as we’d much rather do that, this is very important to your mom. And when we love people, we do things with them even if we don’t always like it.”

Sonia sighed again. “Yeah, I guess. And I don’t want to hurt Mom’s feelings.”

“I get it. But I’m pretty sure she has an inkling. When you were four you flat out told her that you preferred Twilight Sparkle to Li’l Sebastian.”

“I didn’t!”

He chuckled. “Oh yes, you did. She nearly had a heart attack, but she got over it. But for now, it’ll be our little secret okay?”

“Yeah, okay.”

Ben kissed Sonia’s forehead just as Leslie opened the back door with a wide smile. “Hey, you two! The video’s about to start. You coming?”

Sonia gave her father a soft smile before standing up and taking her mother’s outstretched hand. “Yeah, we’re coming.”


	34. Chapter 34

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Triplet Prom

“Just one more picture.”

The triplets roll their eyes at their mother, but smile nonetheless. 

“Can you believe it, Ben? Our babies are going to prom.” She snaps another picture, for which none of the triplets are prepared for.

“Yup, they grow up fast.”

“Mom, you think you could not take so many pictures before everyone even gets here? I’m already getting pictured out,” Westley says, but his brother just nudges his side.

“Are you kidding,” Stephen says. “We look amazing and Mom should be taking all the pictures she wants for posterity so in a thousand years when our civilization has been wiped out, some new, alien colony will find these and say ‘those were some good looking earthlings’.”

“You actually believe those things, don’t you?” Sonia asks with an exasperated sigh.

“I just want a few more before your dates get here,” Leslie says with another camera flash.

“John’s not my date,” Sonia says quickly. “He’s my friend and there was no one else I wanted to go with and since he graduated last year it’s the only way he could come back. I did it mainly for Stephen, anyway.”

Stephen leaned in and whispered in his sister’s ear. “Me thinks the lady doth protest too much.”

“Oh, shut up. We can’t all be dating people right now. Besides the only reason Wes doesn’t have a date is because you’re currently taking _and_  dating _his_  ex-girlfriend.”

“Way to reopen healing wounds there, Soso.”

“Oh, stop, Westley. You would have had to face it sooner or later.”

“Okay, you three,” Ben cuts in. “We get that it’s all very…complicated. But can you explain to me how Oliver is involved in all this?”

“We all wanted him to come, too, and his former swim coach is one of the chaperones. So he asked if he could come and they said yes since he volunteered to bake stuff for refreshments. Everyone loves him.”

Leslie sighs. “I don’t know why you didn’t have him as your date, Sonia.”

“Mom, we broke up like two years ago and there are a thousand different reasons as to why me and Oliver will never be more than best friends, so just trust me, okay?”

Stephen shoots Westley a devious smile, and the latter just scowls and mouths ‘Don’t you dare’.

Leslie just lifts up the camera to take another picture. “I still don’t understand youth culture.”


	35. Things You Said Over the Phone

“I don’t know what it is, Les. He’s even more restless than usual. Sonia and Stephen have been down for hours, but he hasn’t even so much as yawned.”

Ben’s rocking a calm but very wide awake Westley in his arms, his phone tucked into the crook of his neck.

“Do you think it was too soon? Maybe I shouldn’t have gone on a business trip so soon after–”

“No, no it’s fine. He’s not upset or anything. I just–”

“Put me on speaker phone.”

“What?”

“Go lie down with him on the bed and put me on speaker phone. Trust me.”

He’s not sure what she’s getting at, but he lies down with Westley on his chest, putting Leslie on speaker before setting the phone down next to him. He never seems to get over how tiny Wes is compared to the others.

“Okay, we’re in bed and you’re on speaker.”

“Hi, sweetheart,” Leslie coos, and just when Ben thinks this is a stupid idea, Westley’s heavy, little head swings towards the direction of the phone. 

Wait, is that a smile or is it just gas?

“Leslie, I think he’s smiling!”

“Of course he is. He misses his Mommy. That’s all it is, isn’t it, Wes? Well, Mommy misses you so much, too. I know it’s hard for you to fall asleep without our cuddle time, but can you please try for Daddy? He gets a little worried cuz he doesn’t understand that not everyone needs as much sleep as him.

“But I’ll be home before you know it, and we can have all of the cuddle time in the world, okay? And I’ll read you all of your favorite stories and then the kiss monster is going to attack those chubby little cheeks of yours.”

Westley’s eyes droop. “Leslie,” Ben whispers, “I think it’s working.”

“Of course it’s working. I know my son. But I’m not sure whether to be offended that my voice puts our son to sleep.”

“At this point I don’t even care as long as it works.” It takes a few more seconds, but soon Westley’s breaths are long and even. “Okay, he’s down. Thank you so much babe. I’m gonna go put him down and check on Sonia and Stephen, but I’ll call you later, okay?”

“Okay. Goodnight my precious, little baby.”

“Wait, was that for me or for Westley?”

She cackles. “Yes.”


	36. Appendicitis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dialogue Prompt: If you die, I'm gonna kill you"  
> Stephen and Westley

“Mom! Dad!” Stephen screamed at the top of his lungs. “Hurry, something’s wrong with Wes!”

His brother was writhing in pain on their bedroom floor, clutching his side.

“What’s wrong?” Ben said as he ran into the room with Leslie on his heels. “Wes? What happened?”

“I don’t know,” Stephen answered in a panic. “He had complained about his side hurting today but then all of a sudden he just collapsed. Is he gonna be okay?”

“I’ll call an ambulance,” Leslie said as she whipped out her phone. 

“Dad?!” Stephen questions again as Ben hovered over a still writhing and groaning Westley. “What’s going on? Is he gonna be okay?”

“He’ll be fine. I think maybe he has appendicitis or something. We’ll take him to the hospital and check it out.”

“Appendicitis? Oh, my god. What if they have to remove it? He could die, right?” He puts both of his palms on the sides of Westley’s face. “Don’t you dare die on me, Wes. You hear me?  If you die, I’m gonna kill you.” 

“Stephen, he’s not going to die.”

“Stop trying to sugar coat it, Dad. The appendix is vital to survive, isn’t it? I’ll donate some of mine. We have to be compatible. You can’t leave me, Wes. I can’t be the only one left on earth with this ridiculously handsome face. Don’t leave me here alone with Sonia. If you aren’t here, how can I make her feel left out and excluded. _She_  can’t be my twin. I’ll–”

“Stephen,” his father said firmly. “Stop panicking. You’re only making your brother freak out even more.”

Sure enough, Wes’s eyes were even wider than before in fear.

“I’m not gonna die, am I, Dad?”

“No, Wes. You’ll be fine. I know it hurts but we’ll take care of you.”

“The ambulance is almost here,” Leslie said as she knelt down and brushed the hair out of her youngest son’s face. “You’ll be fine sweetheart. I promise. We’ll get there and the doctors will make you feel better.”

“Oh, God, the hospital,” Stephen groaned. “Do you know how many people _die_  there?!”

“Stephen!” both of his parents yelled, and he shrank back. 

He just held his brother’s hand until the ambulance arrived.

* * *

“Huh, so you _can_  live without your appendix,” Stephen said from his brother’s hospital bedside. “Who knew?”

“Everyone,” Westley said back. “I love you, but I can’t believe we’re brothers sometimes. You can be such an idiot.”

“Harsh. And to think I was willing to donate my organs to you.”

“Organs neither of us need.”

“It’s the thought that counts, and I’m just glad you didn’t die. Now, hurry up and take your pain meds so you get all loopy. I want to record it and get a million views on the internet.” 


	37. Rage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emotion prompt: Rage

“I can’t believe you!” Westley screamed at his brother in the middle of the kitchen. “I just–I can’t! How could you do this to me? You’re my _brother._  How could you deliberately take something away from me that I love.”

“Wes, listen, it wasn’t like that, I swear.”

“Liar. God, I can’t even look at you. You just think because you’re the older, taller, _barely_  more handsome one that you can just take whatever you want without any regards as to how it will make me feel. How long has this been going on?”

“A few months, but it’s–” Stephen tried to say, but Westley cut him off.

“No, just stop with your excuses, okay. You took something away from me without even thinking how much it would hurt me. You’re selfish, Stephen Knope-Wyatt. Selfish!”

“Whoa…” Sonia said as she walked into the room. “What’s going on…oh.” She slapped Stephen on the shoulder. “I can’t believe you told Wes before LC got a chance to. You jerk.”

“Wait, LC, _my_  LC knew about this?”

Stephen shook his head quickly, trying to tell Sonia to shut up, but she ignored him. “Uhm, yeah, duh. I mean they made out and–” At Westley’s wide eyes, Sonia paused. “Crap on a cracker, is that not what this was about?”

“No!” both boys shouted in unison. 

“I was upset because Stephen has been eating my veggie burgers behind my back and now I don’t have anymore. You mean that Stephen and LC have been going out behind my back?!”

“Way to go, Sonia, you’ve ruined everything.”

Westley’s phone rang, and LC’s name flashed across the screen. “Okay, maybe LC can explain what’s happening here and fix this whole mess.” He answered the phone and walked away.

“She’s calling to break up with him, isn’t she?” Sonia asked.

“Yup. I’m gonna go, I think.”

“Yeah, good idea. Get a head start. I’ll try to hold him off for a little while, but there’s only so much I can do before he comes after you.”

Stephen turned around and ran.


End file.
